Ala Moana Park was dedicated the “People’s Park” in 1934
STOP Destruction
Of Mature Canopy Shade Trees at Ala Moana Park
at the ‘Āina Moana (Magic Island) Parking Lot!
VIDEO of Free Press reporter confronted by Ala Moana Park Manager
at Magic Island parking lot. April 27, 2020
VIDEO of Free Press reporter confronted by HPD and 6 patrol cars
and given a citation by HPD at Magic Island parking lot. April 27, 2020
People who saw the videos said the following…
“I was angry and my heart was pounding when I watched this. Why were there police cars inside of the construction zone? Six cars to take down a senior citizen filming? Good for Choon standing up for our rights as citizens. It really did appear intimidating and that the real reason was that they do not want people to see what is going on. It’s hard to say that she was a public threat when she told them exactly what she was doing. I wonder if Keahi Tucker or Paula Akana or the likes wants to follow up if they will get the same treatment.”
“…a disturbing video by choon james, a candidate for mayor. today, she attempted to video ala moana park’s parking lot and was threatened and cited by police for her action. 6 police cars were involved. she had talked to the parks manager and was never told she could not video tape the park..”
“Watched the whole video and am impressed with Choon’s cool head though being intimidated and criminalized by HPD via DPR’s wielding HPD as a transparency deterrence to shroud the City’s under-handedness in the spending of taxpayer’s money on frivolous projects in the time that much larger threats loom over us.”
“Didn’t the incident just sicken you to your stomach, because it demonstrated how much the HPD is used as the Mayor’s tool to squash the public’s right to find out for themselves about shady deals like this one? Especially since the COVID-19 lock down is being wielded as a device to shut the public out of their legal right to KNOW what government is doing and the transparency that government is duty bound to provide.”
The People Won,
We Really Won!
The People’s Park MAHALO Rally Feb 29, 2020
Click to see The People’s Park MAHALO Rally photo album
STAR ADVERTISER FRONT PAGE NEWS
Click the picture to read the rest of this story
See Resolution 20-21 CD 1
-February 19, 2020-
Watch the City Council Video of the People Winning
Maintain the integrity of the People’s Park
For more than four years, local citizens have consistently asked the City Administration to keep Ala Moana Regional Park (aka Ala Moana Beach Park) the People’s Park. The well-used and well-loved beach park is World Class and welcoming to all people as is. There is no need to add costly features to the historically recognized park. Just fix what is broken and maintain it regularly.
The first step by the City & County of Honolulu Administration, to engage its taxpayers in creating a new MASTER PLAN for Ala Moana Beach Park, was taken in March 2015.
Recently the City spent $50 Million to fix what’s been broken in the People’s park for years—the bathrooms, repave road, grass irrigation, better lighting, more trash cans, trees, hiring maintenance staff and park rangers, etc. For that, we say, “Mahalo, Mayor. Stop now and just keep it clean and keep it green!”
“Keep it Green and Keep it Clean”
– Council Member Heidi Tsuneyoshi-
Exercise social and fiscal responsibility
The estimated cost to carry out the 17 proposed improvements to Ala Moana and Magic Island is $144 Million in 2016 dollars (see Sec. 2.3 on page 8 of Special Management Area Use permit application), without factoring in maintenance costs.
We call for the Administration and City Council to address essential rather than “nice to have” projects that unnecessarily alter the character of the People’s park and require more maintenance and increase liability costs. There are more pressing issues the City is currently facing that require our taxpayer dollars.
“Just go to the park and ask the park users, they’ll offer a master plan without any charge …certainly not a million dollars, because they are the users..
Resolution 18-50 -Council Member Ann Kobayashi-
protect the "people's Park"
On March 28, 2018 the City Council adopted Resolution 18-50, urging the Mayor to hear the people.
Stand up and let your voices be heard. Testify at the SMA hearing at McCoy Pavilion on December 18, 2019.
,
“Please, this resolution (18-50) is to urge the administration to listen to the people.
Let’s deliver for the people what is needed.”
– Council Member Ann Kobayashi –
Four projects in particular are unacceptable:
One-Acre Playground
private-public funded
According to the SMA application, “The playground will be located behind the Diamond Head concession and will be approximately one acre in size. A non-profit organization thru a private/public partnership plans to build and maintain a playground for intellectually disabled children. The facility will include a building for a concession and another building for an accessible restroom outfitted with an adult-sized changing table and an outpost for HPD. All new buildings associated with the playground site, such as the security office, restrooms, and snack shop, will comply with the Land Use Ordinance. Since the Park is within the Flood Zone AE, the new buildings will need to also comply with Revised Ordinance of Honolulu Chapter 21A “Flood Hazard Areas” for development within the flood hazard...
A Dog Park
a private-public partnership
According to the SMA application, “The dog park will be located at the ‘Ewa side of the Kamakeʻe entrance to AMRP. The dog park is less than a half-acre and will include a chain link fenced perimeter with a doublegated entry. Within the proposed dog park, there will be two separate spaces; one for small dogs and the other for large dogs. The dog park will be built as a public-private partnership with grass and waste receptacle maintenance by Park staff. The DPR already has a park sign that provides the rules for park users in a dog park. A potable drinking fountain and benches will be included and there is an ample number of trees in the existing area that will be retained to provide shade for the facility…
Perpendicular Parking
On the mauka-side of ala moana park drive
According to the SMA application, “Perpendicular parking stalls will replace the existing parallel stalls on the Mauka Side of Ala Moana Park Drive in an effort to increase the number of stalls available in areas of the Park that are not situated near a parking lot. Low Impact Design will be incorporated to mitigate any increase in runoff anticipated from the additional pavement and to address storm water quality. Existing trees along the park road impacted by this project will be replaced since many of the Banyans are infested by gall wasp and must be replaced. The existing irrigation system installed in 2018 was already laid out to accommodate this project and thus, will not need to be relocated. The exact number of stalls will be determined when the design is completed…
Sand Replenishment
sand replacement
According to the SMA application, “The proposed sand replenishment project would artificially nourish the beach with sand to address the erosion and inundation problems and the exposed rocks in the nearshore waters, thereby improving the park user’s experience. Regular nourishment of the beach is necessary to maintain its recreational and aesthetic value. Sand would be borrowed from a sand source located approximately 4,500 feet offshore of the project site. The sand would be offloaded into dump trucks which would then move the sand from the Magic Island parking lot through the Park where it would be placed and graded to the final design grades and elevations…
“Protect the People’s Park” – with advocacy and action”
– SAVE ALA MOANA BEACH PARK HUI-
Save Ala Moana Beach Park Hui is everyday people coming together to save what is precious to local residents—the People’s Park. Ala Moana Beach Park is a kīpuka (sanctuary, oasis) amidst concrete towers that block out the mountains, a place where we can come to keep healthy, have fun and socialize for free.
The People’s Park is a place where everyone—rich or poor, old or young, local or tourist—can equally enjoy a day at the beach, jogging on the promenade, building sand castles or having a picnic on the grassy lawn.
Save Ala Moana Beach Park Hui welcomes people who have never spoken out before, but now say, “Nuff already.” Our collective voices are a powerful force against the questionable projects in the park that will alter the local character of the park and are costly to maintain. Just “keep it clean and keep it green!”
Hui Core Group