November 2005 Home   Newsletters

December 2005

January 2006

President's Message
Planning Meeting on Dec. 17 (Pearl Johnson)
Opinion: In Support of Kakaako Plan (Pearl Johnson)
Voter Service Meets Jan. 5 (Arlene Ellis & Piilani Kaopuiki)
How to Help with Voter Registration (Piilani Kaopuiki)
Planning Association Says Excise Tax Will Increase by 1.5% (Charles Carole)

OPINION: In Support of Kakaako Plan

I like A & Bs proposal to redevelop Kakaako Makai. I drive to Point Panic several times a month because its my nearest point of contact with the ocean.

When A& B said there would be a waterfront park from Pt. Panic to Ala Moana Blvd., I wondered where that would be. I had not realized that behind the boatyard, the abandoned tuna cannery, the old fish auction, there was water. I love the idea of being able to walk along the water from Pt. Panic to Ala Moana.

There is a lovely park all along the ocean from Pt. Panic to Pier 1. At almost anytime, you can find its parking lot almost empty. Why do so many people think the area all the way to Ala Moana Blvd. needs to be open park? It appears that people need something to go to besides the ocean. Think of Ward Village, where the movie theatres, restaurants and shops have lured people to make this an attractive urban area.

Planners have told me that residences are necessary to keep a development from becoming a ghost town after sunset. They say the reason Aloha Tower is struggling is that the plan for residences was abandoned. The fact that all the condos under construction are nearly sold out shows that there is still a great demand for living in Kakaako. Furthermore, the profits generated by the sale of the residences fuel the entire development, which has many public amenities like the waterfront walkway and hula amphitheatre.

The plan does not exclude anyone from the ocean. From Pt. Panic to Pier 1 is now public park and will remain public park. The area from the ocean parks to Ala Moana now excludes the public except for the roads. We can have an urban village instead.

I urge everyone to drive down Ward Avenue, past Ala Moana. The area now is quite ugly, with fences everywhere blocking public access. Behind those fences are dilapidated industrial structures and what looks like debris. Imagine what an urban village would look like so close to the ocean

Pearl Johnson

Opinion pieces are always welcome. Send yours to voters@macrevolution.com .

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