July 3, 2018
Director, Hawaii County Parks and Recreation
Re: Kaiwiki Park
On Saturday, June 30, a group of community members from our association did a cleanup of Kaiwiki Road; something we do 3-4 times a year. When we gathered at the park, we noticed trash, cigarette butts, graffiti in the women’s bathroom, and the water was shut off (without any notification as to why or when it would be restored). Kaiwiki Park has been a long time fixture in our community and over the years community members have regularly taken responsibility for maintenance issues as possible (i.e., small building repairs, periodic cleaning, and general sprucing up). Additionally, we have worked hard over the last year with both the county and the community to revitalize our cherished park. As such, the situation we encountered on Saturday was frustrating and disappointing to say the least. No garbage cans, no water (or associated signage), along with the general disrepair of the building does little to invite the community or encourage appropriate use. It also makes it difficult for those who respect the property and have been working hard to improve it.
We are requesting the following:
1) At least two garbage cans with signage that prohibits household garbage (including potential fines). It may also be helpful to provide the variety with a small opening on top to discourage inappropriate trash.
2) Additional signage regarding the illegality of smoking (including potential fines) on the premises. The one small sign is apparently not enough.
3) We would also request notification when there is a utility problem, ideally both on site and to the email provided below, so that such information can be distributed to the community.
We need the county’s support in taking care of a valued resource in our community. While we understand that resources are limited, we believe that we can work together to protect and even improve Kaiwiki Park. The simple requests outlined above will help us continue making progress. We are happy to meet to discuss these issues further and/or brainstorm additional ideas for improvement.
Sincerely and Mahalo
Gary Barr – President – Wainaku Kaiwiki Community Association.
CC Valerie Poindexter
