HONOLULU — The children’s playground at Kolowalu Park will close starting Aug. 20 so it can be converted to a new state-of-the-art playground serving a greater range of ages and abilities, according to the Hawaii Community Development Authority.

The 2.3-acre park straddles a portion of Queen Street between Kamakee and Waimanu streets and is owned and operated by the Hawaii Community Development Authority.

“Kolowalu Park is well used by the community and we are very excited to be able to upgrade the children’s playground in this thriving live, work, play neighborhood,” said HCDA Executive Director Craig Nakamoto in a release.

“Play is an essential part of a healthy and balanced life and we are transforming the playground to add spaces for younger children, creating opportunities for them to use their imagination, discover and learn social skills while having fun outside in the fresh air. The new equipment has also been thoughtfully selected to be more inclusive, allowing kids of all abilities to interact and play together,” Nakamoto said.

Adult fitness equipment, picnic tables and benches on the makai side of the park were recently installed. A new dog park and new crosswalk and traffic island connecting the mauka and makai sides of the park are being worked on. Funding for the improvements was made possible by the Hawaii State Legislature.

“To track the progress of the new playground, follow us on social media,” said Nakamoto. “We expect the upgrades to be completed in late October.”

In an email response to Spectrum News Hawaii, Francine Murray, community outreach officer for HCDA, stated, “The (existing) playground equipment is being donated to the city Department of Parks and Recreation. They are still in the process of determining where they will use the playground equipment.”

The park was built in 2010 and is located at 1141 Waimanu Street in Kakaako.

Editor’s note: The article has been updated with information from Francine Murray about the existing equipment. (August 18, 2024)