E komo mai (welcome) to the website detailing the effort to build a pool, covered play court, and other park facilities at Kahuku District Park! This project began as a direct result of the Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s April 20, 2023 Town Hall meeting in Lāʻie, where residents shared their long-standing desire for a full-sized public pool and recreation center. The closest City swimming pools for the Ko‘olauloa communities are located either at Kāne‘ohe District Park or Waialua District Park, which are approximately 25 and 17 miles from Kahuku District Park respectively. As a result, the 15.86 acre Kahuku District Park represents one of the better public locations to construct these recreational facilities.
In November 2023, the City announced the release of $1.5 million in funding for the planning and development of the pool and recreation center at Kahuku District Park. This funding will be for the planning and design phase of the project, including: detailed architectural plans, engineering, and environmental assessments to ensure successful and sustainable facilities.
This investment was further bolstered by the support of Honolulu City Councilmember Matt Weyer and AES Hawai‘i, who pledged $5 million in funding along with assistance from their consultant Group 70 International, Inc. This reflects a strong public-private partnership with a shared goal benefiting the Kahuku community and beyond.
For comments on the proposed project design please email: kahukucc@g70.design
Table of Contents
Project Renderings
50-meter Pool
- 50-meter long by 25-yard wide pool
- 5 rows of metal bleachers on the mauka (south) side to seat up to 500 people
- 20-feet of deck space around the pool
- Pool depth of 3.5/4-feet to 7-feet to accommodate a variety of uses including (but not limited to): water polo, swim lessons, water aerobics, competitive swimming, and free play
- Goal is to make the pool compliant with the National Federation for High School Sports
- Supporting buildings include bathrooms, showers, changing rooms, pool pump room, staff offices and storage
- Buildings are designed to utilize the prevailing trade winds and natural lighting
- 30-stall paved parking lot with additional space for earthen, overflow parking lot, and drought-tolerant, native landscaping
Covered Play Courts
- Resurface and reline the play courts
- Construct a play court covering utilizing a prefabricated design with green, plantation-style coloring and translucent panels for natural lighting
- Court surrounded by a 10-foot tall chain link fence
- Roof cover for the two basketball courts
- Similar design to existing covered play court in Wailuku, Maui.
Site & Entitlement Plans
At the October 2024 community meeting, G70 presented the first proposal of the draft master plan after combining recommendations from community members during the prior meeting. Attendees then refined the proposal, delivering cohesive recommendations for improvements and upgrades they want to see at Kahuku District Park. At the January 2026 meeting, a more detailed Site Plan was presented (below).
During the June 2025 community meeting, the below Entitlement Plan was provided to clarify the near-term goals for improvements and new facilities at Kahuku District Park. This plan will be submitted for review under the Environmental Assessment (EA) process.
- City funds are expected to be used for the proposed 50-meter pool and adjacent parking lot, while AES funds are expected to be used for covered play courts. All four community groups at the meeting preferred covered play courts instead of a meeting room. The pool and covered play court projects can be done simultaneously, but will be phased due to the different funding sources.
- The red dotted lines represent other potential projects including: a parking lot along Pualalea Street, playcourt expansion, recreation center on the existing Kahuku Village Association site, and expanding the existing skatepark
- The skate park expansion is proposed to be part of a private-public partnership with 808 Skate, and will not take funds away from the other proposed projects.
- The yellow dotted lines represent the existing fields, currently used for a variety of activities. The goal is to not impact these open spaces, and keep them as is.
Community Participation
Since Mayor Blangiardi’s April 2023 Town Hall meeting, where residents shared their long-standing desire for a full-sized public pool and recreation center at Kahuku District Park, the City has been committed to engaging with the Kahuku community to gather input and provide updates of the project. This has led to several meetings specifically discussing these park improvements, with description of those meetings and important announcements below:
January 21, 2026
At the fifth community meeting, project consultant G70 and the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation presented initial schematics for the project, along with a first visual look of these proposed facilities. The discussion also resulted in robust community discussion, and solicited additional comment on the current and future uses of the parks with over 100 attendees present.
June 6, 2025
During the fourth community meeting, the initial project timeline was provided before the community members presented what kind of programming and specific amenities they want offered in the new park facilities. They included, but were no limited to: water polo, learn-to-swim, water aerobics, lap swim, senior activities, solar-powered lighting, shading, and park access for dog owners. An example of the covered play court from Wailuku, Maui was also presented as a preferred option for the park’s outdoor courts. These covered play courts would include lighting, and fencing.
October 29, 2024
During the third community meeting approximately three dozen participants were present to view and discuss the Draft Master Plan created by G70 based on the previous community meetings. A copy of that Draft Master Plan is above. All four community groups at the meeting preferred covered play courts instead of a meeting room. The pool and covered play court projects can be done simultaneously, but will be phased due to the different funding sources.
September 26, 2024
The second community meeting tasked about 50 attendees, in four smaller groups, to explore how the park can potentially fit a 25-meter, 50-meter, and/or kiddie pool, the supporting pool facilities (pump room, bleachers, showers, etc.), a recreation center, and additional parking. To the left are the layouts the four groups proposed at the meeting (click on the pictures to view a larger, higher quality version):
January 16, 2024
The first community meeting specifically discussing this effort was held yielding excellent discussions on existing park use, community concerns, current project parameters, and expectations moving forward. The meeting highlighted the collaboration of the community and all of the stakeholders to realize the creation of new recreational facilities. Watch the meeting in its entirety with the archived video to the right.
November 2023
The City announced the release of $1.5 million in funding for the planning and development of the pool and recreation center at Kahuku District Park. This funding will be for the planning and design phase of the project, including: detailed architectural plans, engineering, and environmental assessments to ensure successful and sustainable facilities. This investment was further bolstered by the support of Honolulu City Councilmember Matt Weyer and AES Hawai‘i, who pledged $5 million in funding support along with assistance from their consultant G70. This reflects a strong public-private partnership with a shared goal benefiting the Kahuku community and beyond.
Current Project Timeline
While there are numerous elements which will determine the timeline for this large effort, Mayor Blangiardi and his administration are dedicated to beginning the building effort for the park’s pool, supporting pool facilities, parking lot, and covered play court before the end of his term in the beginning of 2029. Some of those determining elements include an Archaeological Inventory Survey mandated by the State Historic Preservation Division, which was a confirmed requirement in January 2026.
- January to June 2025 - Pre-Design Studies
- June 2025 - Start Environmental Assessment (EA)
- Spring 2026 - 30% design completed, Public Meeting (January)
- Mid 2026 - 60% design completed, Public Meeting
- Summer 2026 - Draft EA Issued (30-day review)
- Late Summer 2026 - Final EA Complete
Old Park Master Plan (1980)
