Question: Several months ago the city announced it would be opening a new pickleball complex. When? Court space is still at a premium.
Answer: The pickleball complex at Keehi Lagoon Beach Park is expected to open later this month, according to Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation. It will be the city’s first dedicated pickleball facility, meaning the courts are lined for pickleball and have permanent nets. We sought more details from the department, including a precise opening date and how court time will be allocated, but did not hear back by deadline Friday.
The city said in early March that four underutilized tennis courts there would be reconfigured for pickleball, and that new courts would be added too, for a total of 12 pickleball courts at that park, which is on Lagoon Drive near the Honolulu airport.
The city also plans to convert some tennis courts to pickleball courts at other Oahu parks, but has said the Keehi complex would be finished first. For a list of currently available pickleball courts at city parks, go to bit.ly/Oahu Pickleball and scroll down the page.
Meanwhile, Parks and Rec announced Friday that it’s conducting one last public survey before finalizing new rules governing the use of outdoor courts at city parks, which would affect basketball, pickleball, tennis and volleyball. The survey can be completed online at bit.ly/OutdoorCourtSurvey.
The proposed rules, which you can read at bit.ly/DraftCourtRules, aim to balance free, recreational use with paid, permitted use, including for tennis and pickleball lessons, the department said in a news release.
Among the proposed rules are ones that would:
>> Impose a recreational time limit of 45 minutes for any outdoor court usage if other park users are waiting for courts. This would apply to basketball, volleyball, pickleball and tennis courts. “If there is no one waiting to use the court, time of possession starts when the next players waiting to play arrive at the court,” the draft rules say.
>> Allow instructors with paid permits to reserve courts, within limits. For pickleball instructional classes, up to 50% of courts could be reserved at a time at parks that have at least two stand-alone pickleball courts. For tennis instructional classes, up to 50% of courts could be reserved at a time at parks that have at least four stand-alone tennis courts. For basketball and volleyball practices, no more than 75% of courts could be reserved by permit at a time. A stand-alone court is defined as an “outdoor court marked or striped with only one set of court lines used for a single sport.”
>> Designate times for permitted instructional classes. Such use would be allowed from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, excluding federal, state and city holidays.
Q: Regarding renewing a driver’s license online, how will they handle the eye test?
A: Senate Bill 1166 SD2 HD2 CD1, which Gov. Josh Green has signed into law as Act 243, does not specifically mention an eye exam, but it does state that any applicant renewing their Hawaii driver’s license online or by mail must include a statement from “a licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse” certifying that the applicant meets the state’s physical requirements for license renewal. The medical professional must have examined the applicant within six months before the current driver’s license expires.
This law doesn’t take effect until July 1, 2025, so online renewal won’t be available before then. The DMV is sure to explain the online renewal process in detail — including how to submit proof of adequate eyesight — before this service becomes available in two years.
Mahalo
Mahalo to Rex, who was an angel. I sideswiped his car and he came out of there asking how I was. Then he told me “don’t worry, everything’s fine” and he took off! I want to say thank you to Rex because I thought it was going to be so much trouble and instead he was so kind. — A reader
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
