No light show at Kakaako park

When the hilly meadows of the Kakaako Waterfront Park were opened in 1992 in place of a city landfill that had been closed to the public, they became a tranquil site for families and visitors. Now, seeking revenue, the Hawaii Community Development Authority is considering a proposal to commercialize a third of the public park, a proposal that would bring this special venue of paradise to a sad halt. The plan should be rejected.

"If you go down to the park now, what you have is a passive park with limited usage," HCDA executive director Anthony Ching has said. "It’s popular, it’s becoming more popular, but is it a destination point? The answer is no, not yet."

The park is indeed popular for family gatherings and picnics, fishing from the rocky shoreline, jogging along the lengthy sidewalk, walking dogs, getting married or watching the sunset, plus weekend evening concerts at a small amphitheater. Children have fun sliding on pieces of cardboard down the hill between the amphitheater and the shoreline.

With the numerous condominium skyscrapers being built or on the drawing board in Kakaako, a walking distance away from the park, the day of increased use of the park undoubtedly will come. But HCDA is looking for cash in the near future. Park operating expenses are more than $600,000 a year. And now comes the proposal by Japan’s Illuminage Group Inc. to lease and commercialize the Ewa third of the 27-acre park with exhibits and a range of $6 to $18 to gain admission to the $4 million theme park.

"We believe there’s an interest and a potential return," Ching said this week, explaining that the themed light displays could make better — i.e. lucrative — use of that part of the park, which he said still is underused.

His agency’s board agreed Wednesday to allow staff to discuss terms for a deal, including rent for a 25-year lease with a 10-year extension option. Illuminage Group wants HCDA to help finance or invest in capital improvements needed for the light park. That aspect alone should be a deal-breaker.

In March, HCDA approved a proposal for a year-round fairground with go-kart racing, a zip line, indoor skydiving and a surfing wave pool, with developer Billy Balding, a competitive canoe paddler, tow-in surfer and triathlete, spending $10 million on the enterprise.

Importantly, Balding’s "fun zone" is to be on Kamehameha Schools’ half of a 6-acre grassy parcel makai of the parking area for Kakaako Waterfront Park and next to the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center. It will not be part of the park.

Allowing a for-profit enterprise to take over nine of Kakaako Waterfront Park’s 27 acres is radically different and could open the door for other commercialization of public parks. Two public hearings, an environmental review and community consultations are scheduled and concerned citizens should put the brakes on such a proposal.

To have a public lei of open green space in urban Honolulu, abutting the downtown waterfront, is priceless. The open acres of park and ocean put on glorious display the special character and unique beauty that is Hawaii. They should not be leased, closed and commercialized to the highest bidder, especially not at this scale and for such a use.