The conceptual Ala Moana Regional Park plan may contain flaws. With increasing housing density in urban Honolulu, the plan’s main objectives should be to serve residents; users who need access to the ocean, shoreline and beaches; and users who take the fixed rail to Ala Moana and then walk or bike. Our visionary Hawaiian and missionary leaders identified the first two objectives when setting aside lands for people’s park use.

Unless the polluted pond/stream system is absolutely needed for drainage purpose, it could be replaced with low-maintenance chlorinated brook landscapes similar to user-friendly ones in other major cities.

The McCoy Pavilion near the shoreline is underutilized, with vacant courtyard spaces that are not user-friendly. An alternative is to renovate McCoy with parking, bikes and bathrooms and relocate city offices mauka or offsite.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice the heaviest recreational usage areas of the park are those with close access to transportation, including Magic Island and along the park drive. The green areas and McCoy are basically open space.

Francis Ako

Waialae-Kahala

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