Waipahu District Park to be renamed in honor of former Oahu Sugar Co. manager and Honolulu parks director

Waipahu District Park is being named after William D. “Bill” Balfour in a nod to both his time as Oahu Sugar Co. manager and Honolulu parks director.

The Honolulu City Council voted last month to bestow the honor on Balfour, who died March 16 at the age of 87.

A native of Kauai whose father was a plantation physician, Balfour spent some four decades as an executive in the sugar industry and, most famously, led Oahu Sugar during its most turbulent times as it downsized and finally closed in the mid-1990s.

Not content to sit in a rocking chair, Balfour then spent 20 years in various positions with the city, starting with eight years as former Mayor Jeremy Harris’ parks and recreation director starting in 1997. Balfour brought with him from the plantation his famous boots and his reputation as a tough, yet respected leader who demanded that those working with him worked as hard as he did.

Later he was former Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s acting civil defense administrator and then former Mayor Peter Carlisle’s parks and recreation special consultant. Most recently, Mayor Kirk Caldwell tapped him to be interim director for the troubled Honolulu Zoo, where he stayed on as an adviser after the hiring of current zoo Director Linda Santos in September 2017.

Resolution 19-287, introduced by Waipahu area Council members Brandon Elefante and Ron Menor, was adopted 9-0 on Dec. 4. Nathan Serota, a Parks Department spokesman, said the city is working with Balfour’s family on specific details, including proper signage, before deciding on a formal renaming date.

Balfour’s widow, Dee, said the renaming of the park to William D. “Bill” Balfour Waipahu District Park is a fitting tribute.

“He always hated being in an office and loved being outside,” Dee Balfour said of her husband. Being named parks director “was such an ideal job for him after the plantation.”

She said her husband made it a point to visit each of the city’s more than 200 parks at least once every quarter, adding that it was their ritual after attending Sunday church services to drive around the island inspecting city parks. She was in charge of inspecting the women’s restrooms, she said.

Balfour said her sons played Pop Warner football for the Waipahu Jackrabbits at the park and that Bill Balfour was an avid supporter of the Waipahu Boxing Club.

Among those who spoke in favor of the park’s renaming were Carlisle and former Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura, both of whom described Balfour as an honest, no-nonsense yet caring leader. Santos and entertainers Cha Thompson and Carole Kai Onouye also voiced support.

Yoshimura noted that Central Oahu Regional Park, Waipio Soccer Complex and Smith-Beretania Park were opened during Balfour’s tenure as parks director.

The 13.8-acre district park on Paiwa Street includes a gymnasium, a swimming pool, recreation buildings, basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, a baseball field and softball fields.