MEDIA RELEASE

Overcrowded fields for football, baseball, softball and soccer games.  Fierce competition for practice times. Recognition of the value of team sports to nurturing healthy children, families and community. 

These were the driving forces behind the formation of the Waimea District Park Builders informal work group several years ago. Led by Waimea resident Mel Macy, the group pressed forward – nudging the county to get serious about a long dreamed of Waimea District Park. 

The park dream made significant progress in the early 1990s when, as part of Parker Ranch’s 2020 zoning permits, acreage was set aside.  But little had happened thereafter.  

So Macy and his volunteer group began in earnest to push forward and the county administration and council responded by funding the necessary master planning process. 

This has included a review of possible alternative sites and a site selection study, and now the planners are launching an equally extensive and intensive community conversation about what should (or must) be included in the park master plan  – both short and long term.  

To help start this conversation and outreach research, county Parks and Recreation staff and park planning consultant Tom Witten from PBR Hawaii & Associates, Inc., will brief the community on the project status, findings to date and next steps at Waimea Community Association’s Town Meeting at 5:15 p.m. Thursday, July 9 at Parker School Theatre.

The WCA Town Meeting is part of a series of community meetings and discussions about the park over the next six months that also will include a two-day Waimea District Park Community Charette Workshop:

Friday, Aug. 14 – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kuhio Hale (Waimea’s Hawaiian Homes Hall)

Saturday, Aug. 15 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Same location.) 

The workshops and all other planning meetings are open to all interested individuals and sports groups.  

As with all WCA Town Meetings, the entire community is invited. Membership, however, is encouraged; the $12 fee supports the association’s informational activities and the 49th Annual Waimea Christmas Twilight Parade at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5.   

— Find out more:

Mel Macy: 960-3053, melmacy@hotmail.com

Tom Witten: 808-521-5631; twitten@pbrhawaii.com

Dacheng Dong: ddong@pbrhawaii.com 

Waimea District Park: www.WaimeaPlan.org/issues/parks

Waimea Community Association: www.waimeacommunityassociation.org