Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, June 2, 2016
Deconstructing the Kaka‘ako Makai Parks Master Plan
By Rachelle Chang @ 4:33 PM :: 4509 Views :: Honolulu County

Deconstructing the Kaka‘ako Makai Parks Master Plan

by Rachelle Chang, Better Hawaii, May 31, 2016

Kaka‘ako Makai Parks Draft EIS 2016

This is my most recent experience with Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park in Honolulu: last year, my son participated in the Children and Youth Day Fun Run. The view of the ocean was amazing and the path between the grassy, rolling lawns was relaxing, but we stuck to the sidewalks and didn’t linger at the park. Most of the other parents quickly left after the run too. Why didn’t we stay to enjoy the park?

To encourage people to visit Kaka‘ako, the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) has proposed a Master Plan for renovating the Kaka‘ako Makai Parks, which includes the Kaka‘ako Gateway Park, the Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park, and Kewalo Basin Park. Earlier this month, HCDA released the Kaka‘ako Makai Parks Active Use Facilities Master, a draft Environmental Impact Statement (dated April 27, 2016) to transform the Kaka‘ako Makai Parks into activity-filled community spaces.

With a goal of “sustainable, re-energized, active uses and enhanced gathering places,” the Master Plan proposes park improvements in a phased approach. The HCDA envisions an entryway plaza and water feature, a “Lei of Green” connecting the Waterfront Park to Kewalo Basic Park, a sports complex with sand volleyball courts and bleachers and a gymnasium, a rain garden, a beach hale, a keiki zone, an adventure zone, food concessions, a biergarten, a community center, and a re-located the amphitheater.

Kaka'ako Makai Parks Map

It’s an ambitious project, and there are three fundamental questions to answer: Do we need it? Can we afford it? and Can we maintain it? Let’s take a moment to consider these questions.

1. Do we need it? HCDA thinks that we do, citing that “the population of the Kaka‘ako Mauka Area is expected to double to 30,000 people as a result of the continued build out of the area” (page 2), combined with the belief that a “lack of attractions” is one of the reasons that the Kaka‘ako Makai Parks is currently unused (page 29).

In my opinion: We don’t need a theme park with a lot of amenities. Instead, we need to focus on two basic improvements: safety (how safe do we feel at the park?) and visibility (can we can see the people around us, or are people lurking around the corner?). With more construction and more people in Kaka‘ako, I think we need to preserve our open spaces.

2. Can we afford it? All of these improvements would cost a lot of money, and the Master Plan highlights only the biggest expenditures: $24.5 million for a sports complex, $16.7 million to re-locate the amphitheater, $1.8 million for parking re-location, $1.3 million for a biergarten, $178 thousand for a food truck concession area.

In my opinion: We may be able to afford basic improvements for comfort stations, re-landscaping the grassy mounds, exercise and play areas, and a food truck concession area; but everything else is up for debate. This is a public works project for good economic times; right now, I don’t think we have the money for the improvements, and I doubt that the amenities would be used as often as projected.

3. Can we maintain it? HCDA believes that the sports complex, amphitheater, biergarten, and food trucks will operate at a profit. The Master Plan estimates that Kaka‘ako Makai Parks will earn more revenue that it will spend on operations, with a total projected annual net operating income of $388,000.

In my opinion: The projected income from the food truck concession, $73,000, may be reasonable, but the rest of the income projections seem overly-optimistic. If the multi-million dollar Hawai‘i Convention Center is still operating at a loss after 20 years, and is not projected to break even until 2018 (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Tourism authority still in debt $317M for convention center,” January 18, 2016), it seems over-confident to assume that the sports complex, amphitheater, and biergarten, with their higher operating costs, can immediately turn a profit.

Four additional thoughts about the 2016 Kaka‘ako Makai Parks Active Use Facilities Master Plan:

* No plan for security. While acknowledging that “In recent years, the Kaka‘ako Makai Area has experienced an influx of homeless individuals and families” (page 2), there is no plan to address the homeless and no plan for increased security.

* There really are more alternatives. HCDA presents us with two options, no action or an outdated 2011 Conceptual Plan. This sets up a false dilemma. In fact, there are more alternatives, such as accepting only select portions of the 2016 Master Plan.

* Who really benefits? The truth is revealed:“The Master Plan improvements are expected to contribute to enhanced property values of commercial and residential properties located mauka in the Kaka‘ako Makai Parks” (page 26). Not only do the park improvements benefit homeowners and property owners, it benefits the city through higher property taxes.

* Privacy please. The 2016 Master Plan includes the names and contact information (addresses, telephone numbers, and email) from community events. Contact information should have been blocked out to protect the attendees’ privacy.

What is your vision for Kaka‘ako? What do you think of the Kaka‘ako Makai Parks Master Plan?

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT