Question: My wife and I were surprised to be informed by the security guard at Koko Crater Botanical Garden that the park closes at 6 o’clock and not dusk as the sign says. Pretty sure dusk is after sunset, and the sunset was at about 6:30 p.m. that day. The guard said the person he took over from told him that 6 o’clock is the closing time, and he questioned what time is dusk.
Answer: Yes, dusk falls after sunset; although the time varies daily, it’s easy to look up online. Yours is one of a few recent complaints we’ve had about public access to the botanical garden at 7491 Kokonani St., mauka of Sandy Beach, which cultivates rare and endangered dryland plants and has a 2-mile loop trail through the desert landscape. Another reader said the closing time on the park’s sign (dusk) conflicted with the time on its website (sunset) but that both were later than the guard allowed (6 p.m.).
We followed up with Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation, asking what time this location is supposed to close; whether security staff will be told to stop closing early if they have been doing so; and whether the garden’s website and/or sign will be corrected if necessary.
Here’s the response from Nathan Serota, a DPR spokesperson:
“Your readers are correct, the closure hours for Koko Crater Botanical Garden are from ‘dusk to dawn’ as posted on the botanical garden’s signage. Please pass along our apologies for the confusion.
“We have updated the botanical garden’s website to reflect the correct hours of operation. We have also spoken to our contracted security for the botanical garden, Ali‘i Security, to remind them of the proper closure hours. Typically, contracted security will let park/garden visitors know about the closure about 15 minutes before the actual closure so they can be out by the time the location closes.
“Long-term, we are considering changing the closure hours for this botanical garden to something more definite. For instance, last week we officially changed the closure hours for Kaoma‘aiku Neighborhood Park in Mililani from ‘dusk to dawn’ to ‘10 p.m. to 5 a.m.’
“The fluctuating closure times of ‘dusk to dawn’ were more common historically, but we are transitioning away from them as having a definite time makes it much easier for both the public and city officials.”
To be clear, the change at the Mililani park doesn’t mean dusk falls at 10 p.m. Park hours there were extended so that residents could enjoy the park into the night, after work and school, as at most Oahu district and neighborhood parks; 10 p.m. is a common closing time. Read more at 808ne.ws/3D77P3F.
Getting back to the Koko Crater Botanical Garden, there are stages of dusk, but as far as DPR is concerned, it means the time soon after sunset when visibility fades. “It’s the last light,” Serota said, although even that can be subjective, “which is why we’d like to move to a definite time for closure.”
Online sites we checked said dusk fell at 6:57 p.m. in Hawaii Kai on Thursday, 22 minutes after sunset, which occurred at 6:35 p.m.
Serota said the city hasn’t decided at what set time KCBG should close and that community members, including the neighborhood board, would be consulted before any change occurs. To learn more about this botanical garden, go to 808ne.ws/4h40U94.
Mahalo
A big mahalo to Andre, who was driving a black SUV, for stopping and helping me up Thursday when I tripped over the curbing at Punchbowl and Queen streets. He offered to drive me home and made sure I was all right before letting me continue. He is truly a compassionate Hawaiian warrior! Much mahalo! — Grateful kupuna
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
