A dog park for Hawaii Kai

Community activists push park for pals with paws

by MICHELE VAN HESSEN
Sun Correspondent
*Archived June 2006 article

"It's kind of embarrassing and nerve-wracking running around and looking for places to meet. We need a legal place," said dog-owner Elaine Dobashi. "In Hawaii Kai, there's actually no legal place where you can take a dog," she continued. "We're trying to provide a legal place that's safe for dogs."

Hawaii Kai resident Carol Suyderhoud, who has a golden retriever named Madison, said dog parks are also beneficial for dog owners. "Friendships have been formed through the dogs," she said.

Hawaii Kai resident Roger Morton echoed Suyderhoud's sentiment on dog parks. "It's a good mixing place for neighbors to get together," said Morton, who has a beagle-mixed dog named Shiva and a foxhound-mixed dog named Kirby. "When dogs get a chance to socialize, they're not aggressive. It's better for the dog. It's better for the community," he added.

Based on 2003 U.S. census data, there are an estimated 158,000 dogs on Oahu. Of that figure, about 8,000 dogs are in East Honolulu, said Dobashi.

She noted that some dog owners bring their canines illegally to school grounds to run around and play with other dogs. These are good dog owners who are trying to take care of their animals by providing exercise and social settings, said Dobashi, who has two mixed-terriers named Lani and Robert.

"The parks department has been working to establish four dog parks around Oahu, one in each of the various park districts," said city spokeswoman Carol Costa. The department would like to have more dog parks if there is a demand, she added.

Cost for a dog park in Hawaii Kai is estimated at $75,000 to $100,000. Park officials need to determine if water lines are available and how much fencing material is needed, Costa said.

A city dog park is available in Moanalua near the Moanalua Middle School. Another park is slated to open near the Mililani Mauka park-and-ride shortly, while another park is being planned for Windward Oahu, Costa said.

There are two privately run dog parks on Oahu: one at 18th Avenue and Diamond Head Road; and the other next to the Hawaiian Humane Society at 2700 Waialae Avenue.

So far, 650 signatures have been collected in support of a dog park in Hawaii Kai since the group started working on the project two months ago. Members of the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board voted unanimously at their monthly meeting in support of an enclosed, off-leash dog park, but the city must still come up with the money and approval for the park.

In 2001, the Honolulu City Council passed legislation to authorize the Department of Parks and Recreation to establish off-leash dog parks.

In 2005, Hui`Ilio Hawai`i was formed, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting safe and friendly places for dogs and their people to play. Dobashi as president of the group of dedicated dog owners made a proposal to their Neighborhood Board to build a dog park on unused city land at the makai end of the park and ride on Keahole Street. City Council member Charles Djou introduced a resolution so that the land could be turned over to the Department of Parks and Recreation, which would be responsible for maintaining the park once the citizens raised the funds to build the facility.

Designing conceptual plans for the park could have been an incredible financial undertaking for Hui`Ilio Hawai`i. It is through the countless donated hours of loving and caring professionals like Jim Lyon and his associate Khresmar Dumayas of Lyon Associates, Inc., whose downtown Honolulu office, which provides expertise in engineering, construction management and planning has continued to help with this project. Dennis Hashimoto and DJNS Surveying and Mapping, Inc. provided a free topographical survey of the future park. Ben Lee of Brownlie and Lee, Landscape Architects and Irrigation consultants is guiding the water plans for the park. Other angels include Clark Hatch and Mike Jones of D. R. Horton - Hawaii Division.

Enjoying Hawaii outdoors is part of island life. With dogs in more than forty percent of Oahu's households, the community should have a dog park. On Sunday, June 4th beginning at 8:00 AM, Hui`Ilio Hawai`i is having a 2.3 mile walk through Hawaii Kai with man's best friends. A mini route is available for older and smaller and dogs. This fundraiser's net proceeds will go towards the estimated $70,000 needed for construction of a dog park. Visit the website www.hui-ilio.org or e-mail hui-ilio@hawaii.rr.com for a registration form. There will be booths from other community clubs, sponsored door prizes and pre-registration "Got Dogs" T-shirts. It's the year of the dog, so help support mankind's loving servant.