×
×
homepage logo

Volunteers care for Kamehameha Iki Park

By Staff | Jun 24, 2010

Volunteers Edgar, Brian and Ray take pride in their cleanup of a problem area along the northern edge of Kamehameha Iki Park. Photo by Myrna Ah Hee.

LAHAINA — Volunteers help maintain Kamehameha Iki Park because they enjoy caring for the ‘aina. 

In recent months, a number of volunteers from the community have worked on the park daily.

The county Parks Department mows the lawn weekly, while other maintenance is handled by Hui O Wa‘a Kaulua (Assembly of the Double-Hulled Canoe). There are areas that they cannot mow where additional work is needed.

Volunteers edged weeds along the driveway and tackled the daunting task of cleaning the overgrown area along the north end of the park. Numerous people have mentioned that the park is looking great!

These volunteers who frequent the area asked hui Executive Director Myrna Ah Hee how they could help.

Maintaining the park is one of the agreements the hui has for licensing to use the building at Kamehameha Iki to build their voyaging canoe called Mo‘okiha.

The park is almost two acres and is highly used by beach goers, especially surf schools. History notes that the surf break is where Hawaii’s ali‘i surfed, and the reef is one of the only areas in Lahaina where surf schools have permits to teach surfing lessons.

Ah Hee commented that caring for the park shows our visitors and community that we appreciate the wonderful area that is open to the public from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The park is located in a National Historic-designated area; alcohol is not permitted.

“The volunteers use caring for the park as therapy. Most are unemployed, not by choice, and worked in the community for many years. They want to make the most of this economic hardship and turn it into a positive, ‘feel good’ situation,” she noted.

“Mahalo to everyone who is helping care for Kamehameha Iki Park.”

For more information, contact Ah Hee at 667-4050 or e-mail ahhee001@hawaii.rr.com.