Funding to hire 6 attendants for Ala Moana park is sought

Six park attendants are being hired to ensure everyone follows the rules at Ala Moana Regional Park, city officials said Tuesday during an update of improvements underway at Oahu’s busiest beach park.

Funding for attendants, who will walk, bike or use a cart to patrol — “monitoring and making sure that (parkgoers) follow the rules” — is included in next year’s budget plan, city Parks Director Michele Nekota said. They won’t have arresting or citation authority, but will call police when necessary, she told reporters at a news conference at the park Tuesday.

Currently, two attendants monitor Kapiolani Park while another two roam Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. The six slated for Ala Moana will be the first to be posted there, Nekota said. If the positions are approved by the City Council, the attendants could be in place in about a year, she said.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell said that since the two attendants were placed at Kapiolani, “we don’t see as many people occupying the park as we used to” during park closure hours. At Ala Moana, Caldwell said, “we still have our challenges.”

He likens the role of park attendants to that of security officers at Ala Moana Center, situated across the street. “There’s not guys in there when Ala Moana’s closed and that’s because their security (tells people), ‘You can’t be here now.’ And what happens if they don’t leave is that they call 911 and they’re arrested.”

If successful, attendants could be placed in other city recreational facilities, he said.

The new positions are part of a nine-point, short-term action plan now underway to freshen up the 82-year-old park, Caldwell said.

The park’s busy beachfront comfort station, between Magic Island and the western side, has been renovated — twice, following the destruction of a toilet on the women’s side in December — at a cost of about $30,000.

Upgrades at two other Ala Moana comfort stations, both at Magic Island, are in the works.

Among other recent Ala Moana park improvements:

>> A revamp of the irrigation system for the Great Lawn, on the mauka side of the 119-acre park.

>> Renovation of an exercise path that stretches the length of the park is to be completed for $665,000.

>> Replacing light fixtures at restrooms, the concession stand and other structures with LED lamps for $86,000.

>> Removal of rocks and pebbles from the sand is slated to be completed this summer. A long-term plan includes sand replenishment.

“These things are not sexy, they’re not glamorous, they’re just things that need to be done,” Caldwell said.

To weigh in on Ala Moana park improvements, go to ouralamoanapark.com.