Ewa Neighborhood Board No. 23

PARKS & RECREATION COMMITTEE - Pam Lee Smith, Chair

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MINUTES FROM THE LAST PARKS MEETING

Parks & Recreation Committee
Ewa Neighborhood Board #23
Pam Lee Smith, Chair
Friday, May 18, 2001
Minutes

1.Call to order by Chair at 7:00 PM
Members present Pam Lee Smith, Garry Smith, Earl Arakaki, Karen Wenke, Tesha Malama and Haunani Malama. Others present Melvon Ahlo-Pinera and Don Kusunoki (Department of Parks & Rec.)

By consent of members present we took agenda item 4 out of order
4. Presentation on how City Park Master Plans are implemented.
Don Kusunoki of the City Department of Parks and Recreation gave a presentation on the implementation of master plans in City parks. The City prefers to put in parking and comfort stations first. This is usually done so that these important facilities are available when the play courts and other facilities are constructed. After the parking and play courts are in, it is up to the community to decide in what order they would like to bring in other improvements.

Since all of the improvements are dependent on the amount of money appropriated for each park, the committee asked Mr. Kusunoki who we should contact to ask that the money for our parks be appropriated? He suggested we lobby at two levels. We should go to the Parks Department and our City Councilman to ask for money for the improvements we need. A Neighborhood Board motion would make it official. Both can ask for CIP(Capital Improvement Project) funds. We need to request the improvements as soon as the park is dedicated.

Mr. Kusunoki recommends that we include the entire community in the decision making process about which improvements to ask for first.

1. Community concerns regarding Parks
There was a question regarding the policy on Permits for baseball fields. A community member had observed a woman’s softball team using the 90' baseball field at Ewa Mahiko Park and wondered why they hadn’t been assigned to a softball field instead.
Mr. Kusunoki said that the 90' field is not normally permitted for a woman’s team and they may just have been using an empty field for practice. Fields are usually permitted at a large annual meeting between the Parks Department and the Leagues. If there are any questions about someone’s use of a field you can ask to see their permit. The team’s agent should have the permit. If the field is not permitted for the time in question, it is first come-first served.

Karen Wenke was concerned that, because of the loss of a part time employee at the Community Park recreation center, the program of evening classes would be in jeopardy.
Mr. Kusunoki assured her that there would be a new person hired to take the old employee’s place and that the recreation classes would go on as usual.

3. Reports from Committee members regarding assigned Parks.
A)Ewa Beach Community Park (Pam Lee Smith)
The following problems were noted:
1. Jungle Gym is broken at the top needs to be repaired or removed immediately.(Safety hazard)
2. The urinal in Men’s room needs to be replaced.
3. Park access at the ewa end of parking lot needs to be chained and locked.
4. The indoor water fountain is growing algae in the catch pan. Needs to be cleaned.
Observations
The park is clean and well maintained other than the above noted items. Tagging is being dealt with quickly. The skateboard park was clean, well used and free of tagging.


B)Oneula Beach Park (Haubush) (Robie Correa)
The following problems were noted:
1. Speed humps are being pried up on the entrance road.
2. There is an abandoned, stripped car in the park near the comfort station.
Observations
The park is clean and well maintained except for the above noted items. The grass is green, and appears to be getting watered now.
C)Puuloa Playground Neighborhood Park (Haunani Malama)
The following problems were noted:
1. Both bathrooms had been tagged.
2. Both bathrooms were dirty.
3. There was litter in and around the comfort station
Observations
When Mrs. Malama went to check the bathrooms she found 2 older girls with 4 young boys in the Ladies room - just hanging out. They would not tell her what they were up to. When she went to the Mens room she found 4 adult men playing dice for money. She advised both groups to move on.
D) Ewa Mahiko Park (Tesha Malama)
The following problems were noted:
1. There is only 1 portable toilet available in the park to serve a large user base. Is there any chance we can get another?
Observations
The park is being used by a lot of people. It is clean and well maintained.

At this time Don Kusunoki left the meeting and we resumed the correct order on the agenda. The committee thanked him for taking time on a Friday night to talk with us. The neighborhood board should commend him for his dedication.

5. Update on Vision Projects for area parks.
Garry Smith gave a quick update on the status of FY2001 Vision Projects.
Ewa Beach Community Park will get two new picnic tables and a network of sidewalks to bring the park into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We will also get an additional set of playground Equipment.
Ewa Beach Park will get a new set of play equipment, a couple of new picnic tables in the beach area, two water fountains by the softball field and an ADA compliant sidewalk that will go from the parking lot, meander by the play equipment, go to the Hula Pavilion and then out to the new ADA picnic table.
Puuloa Playground Neighborhood Park will be getting new playground equipment, two new picnic tables, a full basketball court, an ADA compliant parking lot with two stalls and an ADA compliant sidewalk to link the parking lot, comfort station, play equipment, ball court and new ADA picnic table. In addition we will be getting ten to fifteen new shade trees.
Oneula Beach Park will be getting repairs to the irrigation system, the road to the surfing area will be paved and landscaping plants will be planted in a nursery area awaiting transplantation when the park’s master plan is implemented.
Ewa Mahiko District Park is currently $150,000.00 over budget to get the parking lot and comfort station built. The consultant is working to tie this in with other budget years to complete this project.
All of the FY2002 Vision Team projects for our area are still in the budget.



6. Selection of Parks Committee “Above and Beyond” Award recipient(s)
A new award to recognize people that have done more than their fair share to improve city parks and recreation activities in Ewa Beach.

The committee discussed and formulated rules and forms for the approval and adoption by the full board.
Rules
1. The nominee must be a resident of the Ewa Neighborhood(as described in the neighborhood plan).
2. The Nominee must have performed outstanding service to improve either
A) a park or parks in our neighborhood
Or
B) the recreation options available in our neighborhood.
3. Nominations may come from anyone in our neighborhood.
4. The Parks Committee will accept nominations from the community and board members and recommend an awardee to the board.
5. Elected officials and Parks Department employees are not eligible for this award.
6. Nominations will include the following information clearly printed or typed:
(The nomination may be made on an official form or on a plain piece of paper as long as all of the information is included.)
Name, address, phone of nominee and nominator
Which park or activity has this person effected?
How long has this person been performing the service?
Explain why you believe this person deserves the Above and Beyond Award.
7. The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 P.M.

Anyone having questions regarding this committee may contact the Chair at any time.

Pam Lee Smith
Phone - 689-5559
Fax - 689-1622
U.S. Mail - P.O. Box 2242 Ewa Beach, HI 96706-0242
e-mail - PammieLee@Juno.com

Email us
Pammielee@juno.com