Waves: 1 - 2 Feet
Wind: Moderate Trades
Windy and bumpy!
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I encourage everyone concerned to go to http://www.ouralamoanapark.com/ and see what's being proposed.
You should also add a comment to voice your opinion. Speak up or shut up!
I recently commented to disagree with the proposed bike lane and the elimination of the beach side parking.
I received the following email from Chris Dacus from the City and County.
"Good Morning Mr. Nakamaru,
Thank you for your email received April 25th regarding Ala Moana Regional Park. I appreciate your comments regarding the beach road, beach walk, bicycle lanes and parking at the keyhole.
First of all, nothing is set in stone. The purpose of this meeting this Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Regional Park is to get public feedback on ideas generated largely from the public. The plans incorporate ideas from over 50,000 web interactions, thousands of comments and over 800 stakeholder interviews. Some common themes arose – fix the park, improve maintenance and enhance the park with residents in mind.
Parking is seen by many people as an access issue since most people drive to the park. There are 948 existing parking spaces at the park. The conceptual plan when implemented has 948 parking spaces for no loss of parking. Not even one space is lost. Rest assured all 948 spaces will remain free.
The improvements shown in the draft conceptual plan at the park are focused on what’s the most important reason for visiting a beach park – the beach. The beach sand will be replenished in the near future to historical boundaries. The wall at the back side of the beach will remain in the same the location. The beach walk will be enlarged and enhanced for residents with more seating and a wider path. The details regarding plants and trees in the beachwalk area are shown conceptually and nothing has been discussed at that detailed level. This is a master plan and the construction plans for the sidewalk are years away from being done.
The parking on the makai side will be relocated to the mauka side of the beach road allowing for scenic views of the ocean while bicycling or driving through the park. The same number of parking spaces will be distributed along the road as exists now. Your favorite parking spot along the road will have the same number of parking spaces. The distance from the beach walk from the mauka parked cars will be approximately 30 feet. A new sidewalk will be installed on the mauka side of the road.
In addition, the entire length of the beach road will be a loading/unloading zone so park users can stop closest to their favorite spot on the beach and drop of their gear. Some parking will be added between McCoy Pavilion and the Lawn Bowling, which fronts the Hughes development. Trees will increase threefold in this parking area, pavement will be porous and grass strips between parking lanes will bioremediate road grit from brake pads and other heavy metals generated from cars. Many sustainable features will be incorporated into the park.
This is the People’s Park and from day one the emphasis has always been to keep the park local. The park is 82 years old and in need of repairs from 50 years of deferring maintenance. The last major improvement was over 50 years ago when Magic Island was built. Over the 82 years, the use of the park has substantially changed from a park for strolling and a couple of baseball fields to a beach park with the literally hundreds of different types of uses (the beach didn’t appear until 1955!), but the park largely hasn’t been improved to accommodate the way residents use the park.
Please attend the public open house this Thursday from 6-8pm at McCoy Pavilion and see what’s being proposed gleaned from thousands of interactions with the public. Please participate and help honor the past, live in the present and plan for the future.
After this meeting, the plans will be revised based on public input and another meeting will share the final plans later in the summer. Before anything is built there will additional public meetings and opportunities for public input.
We need your thoughts on what will be best for the park. I hope to see you there.
[X][X]
Chris Dacus
Executive Assistant
City and County of Honolulu
Unable to attend today's meeting. I was listening to someone on tv (representing the planning group and will be at the meeting) One reason given on taking away Makai parking is to open viewing for motorist driving through park. Excuse me, but motorist should be watching road and for pedestrians crossing especially for excited kids sometimes crossing in a hurry to swim. Makai parking allows local families to park set up their tents for their families and there to enjoy the view, prevent their children from even crossing the busy street, and keeping a close eyes (many under the tents) young kids enjoying the swim from morning to evening. Save the Makai side and keep as is. Did these planners come during 4th of July? or during the Lantern ceremonies??? Do they see how extensive the Makai side is used. If it ain't broken then leave it alone. Spend the money on taking care of the restrooms< maintaining the grass, make it nice! And security to keep us safe. No need for playground. How absorbed is that? Go to a park with playground equipment, come to the beach for that reason and enjoy the beach.
Posted by: Mixhael Nishiki | 04/28/2016 at 06:50 AM
Good thoughts Mike! Log on and send in your comments!
Let your voice be heard.
Posted by: Courtsdawnpatrol | 04/28/2016 at 08:26 AM