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Hundreds turned out Monday evening for a forum on the future of Ala Moana Regional Park, and most of them were opposed to Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s vision of a world-class playground, which they said was aimed at tourists and luxury condo owners, not local residents. Read more

Hundreds turned out Monday evening for a forum on the future of Ala Moana Regional Park, and most of them were opposed to Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s vision of a world-class playground, which they said was aimed at tourists and luxury condo owners, not local residents.

Many, like former city Emergency Medical Services Department Director Salvatore Lanzilotti, accused officials of giving the park away to developers.

“It’s up to the developer to provide that property for the people that they’re bringing in. … I think it’s criminal to take regional land to make a community park,” he said. “They’ve got the land.”

Department of Parks and Recreation spokesman Nate Serota said the proposed park is for everyone to use and enjoy, and “catering to the rich or tourists is just not accurate.”

Opponents to the plan were also skeptical that their concerns would be addressed, especially after Department of Design and Construction Director Robert Kroning said, “Opinions don’t necessarily get consideration.” He also said comments to the draft environmental impact statement should be restricted to environmental impacts.

The forum was called to discuss the second draft environmental impact statement for the park’s master plan, which came out Feb. 8.

He said the mayor makes the decision and will take opinions expressed into consideration. When pressed, he said the City Council will also have a say because it controls the budget.

Acting City Council Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi, who spoke fondly of Ala Moana as the people’s park, got loud applause for her comments that if the city just walked around the park and talked to users, “we could have had a master plan for free,” saving the city $1 million.

She said those living in apartments don’t have space for birthday parties and other get-togethers in their homes, so they come to the park.

Tony Agao, 68, sported a T-shirt with the words “Voice 4 Da Kidz.” He said his generation got to enjoy the park and wants to preserve open spaces for the next generation.

The administration had no cost estimates for all the proposed changes, but it would be roughly in the tens of millions of dollars, Kroning told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser before the meeting.

Critics said the proposed ADA-compliant playground and dog park should go elsewhere.

Save Ala Moana Beach Park Hui, Friends of Kewalos, the Greater Waikiki branch of the Outdoor Circle, Malama Moana and other groups hosted the forum.

The administration said it would not take the makai parking as it previously proposed since the City Council adopted an ordinance forbidding it, and plans to add parking on the mauka side, which critics say would force the removal of trees and grassy areas.

Deadline for comments on the second draft EIS is March 25.

Correction: Tony Agao and Malama Moana were misidentified in Tuesday's story.