Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation

09/07/2026

The National Weather Service has upgraded portions of Oʻahu from a Tropical Storm Watch to a Tropical Storm Warning Monday morning.

The warning includes Haleʻiwa, Waialua and Mokulēʻia and means tropical storm-force winds are expected somewhere within the warning area within the next 36 hours.

The latest forecast calls for winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph across the North Shore, with the potential for stronger tropical storm-force winds. The National Weather Service warns that strong winds could bring down large tree limbs and some trees, blow around unsecured objects, create hazardous driving conditions and cause scattered power and communications outages.

A Flood Watch remains in effect, with an additional 3 to 6 inches of rain possible and locally higher amounts. Heavy rainfall could cause flash flooding, rapidly rising streams, dangerous roadway conditions and possible road and bridge closures.
Conditions may also support a few isolated tornadoes.

Residents in the warning area should secure or bring inside outdoor furniture, trash cans and other loose objects; charge phones and essential devices; check emergency supplies; and prepare for the possibility of power outages.

Residents in areas vulnerable to flooding should be especially vigilant. Streams and drainage channels can rise quickly during periods of intense rainfall, and flooding may occur in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.

Motorists should avoid unnecessary travel during periods of heavy rain and strong winds and never attempt to drive through a flooded roadway. Turn around, don’t drown.

While no storm surge inundation is currently forecast, rough surf, coastal erosion and life-threatening rip currents remain possible. Residents and visitors should exercise extreme caution near shorelines and stay out of hazardous ocean conditions.

09/04/2026

Restored & ready for public use! Today we were thrilled to reopen the temporary debris site at Patsy T. Mink Central Oʻahu Regional Park (CORP) after it was utilized to help our North Shore neighbors impacted by March’s devastating Kona Low storms.

Environmental Services Director Roger Babcock joined DPR staff, State Senator Danielle Bass, and Councilmember Matt Weyer at the former debris site, located near the corner of Kamehameha Highway and Ka Uka Boulevard, to mark the occasion and thank the community for its patience during the restoration process. To show the grounds were once again safe for passive recreational use, the attendees enjoyed time passing footballs, frisbee, and soccer on the refurbished turf.

A portion of the park was designated as a temporary debris storage site under emergency proclamations following flooding that impacted Oʻahu in March 2026. This designation was in line with the City’s Disaster Debris Management and Operation Plan, published in April 2025. Over 18 days, roughly 3,000 tons of storm debris was deposited at the park site where it was sorted and transported to Waimānalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill and various recyclers.

The City applied environmental protections throughout the operation including filter socks to prevent runoff, temporary dust fencing and 24/7 monitoring.

An independent lab tested the soil before and after cleanup and found no harmful contaminants, meeting all Department of Health requirements. Crews then graded the site with clean soil, repaired the irrigation system and reseeded the area with grass.

A website dedicated to the temporary debris site, with more information about testing results, is available at: honolulu.gov/env/TDSR

With the removal of the temporary fencing, the full park area is now safe and open for public use. Mahalo again to the Waipi‘o and Central O‘ahu communities for their patience and understanding during this whole, roughly six-month process.

09/02/2026

We have been experiencing intermittent water service at Koko Head District Park and Koko Head Shooting Complex, resulting in the closure of the bathrooms for both of these facilities.

Our plumbers and maintenance staff are working to address the issue. We hope to have all water features and restrooms restored to their regular public usage as soon as possible.

E kala mai (pardon) for the inconvenience, and mahalo for your patience and understanding.

09/01/2026

It's almost time to play ball... with our new Field User Meeting system of permitting athletic fields and ball diamonds!

To help organizations and individuals understand these standardized field permitting processes, three Zoom meetings will be hosted by DPR staff to further discuss these field-permitting systems and answer questions about the processes.

These three informational meetings are scheduled in early September 2026. All times and dates listed below are Hawai‘i Standard Time:

Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

All meetings will utilize the same Zoom link, available by using this link: bit.ly/FieldUserMeeting

For more information, a dedicated website with details of this effort is available at: honolulu.gov/dpr/outdoor-field-permitting/

09/01/2026

The majority of Wahiawā Botanical Garden will be closed effective tomorrow, September 1, to allow for assessment of trees and branches damaged during Tropical Storm Lala.

The garden’s entrance, visitor center, multi-purpose room, and main lawn will remain open. Recreational programming and classes will continue as scheduled. All other areas outside of those facilities, including the pathways and gulch, will be closed until further notice.

Several large branches and trees fell within the botanical garden, and around the island, as a result of the strong winds and rain from Tropical Storm Lala. In fact, the City responded to some 571 reports of fallen trees and branches resulting from that storm. We appreciate your continued patience and understanding.

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

The first trees have been planted as part of on-going Kailua Beach Park Dune Restoration effort! This past Saturday (Aug. 29, 2026) we were thrilled to host some 50 volunteers for tree planting and landscaping efforts at Kailua Beach Park. While we didn’t need a full 9 to 5 schedule to get the work done (RIP Dolly), it sure was lots of hard work!!

The gathering represented the next phase, and an important milestone, for the Kailua Beach Park dune restoration project. It included the planting of 11 coastal trees and some additional landscaping to help naturally protect this significant shoreline from beach erosion.

Volunteers planted a mix of milo, kou, and beach heliotrope trees, along with additional ground cover, like beach naupaka and ʻakiʻaki grass, just makai of the park’s parking lot on the Lanikai-side of the Kaʻelepulu Stream.

The work involved digging holes, planting the trees/plants, watering, staking, weeding, and other maintenance of the dune restoration resources.

Yesterday’s volunteer planting effort marks the first time trees were planted as part of the Kailua Beach Park Dune Restoration effort. Beginning in November 2024, the collaborative effort between the City, State, and community groups aims to preserve this popular stretch of Kailua Beach Park experiencing significant beach erosion. Along with preserving the beach, this effort aims to restore ocean access and support diverse recreational use by increasing the width of the active beach and stabilizing wind-swept sand with low-lying dune plants and native vegetation.

For more information about the entire dune restoration effort, please visit online at: bit.ly/KailuaDune

Want to plant trees with our Community Foresters? Check out the DPR Adopt-a-Park Program to learn more about how you can be part of the positive change!

Send a message to learn more

08/29/2026

Mele, hula, and sentiments of mahalo filled the air at Waimānalo Beach Park today, August 28, 2026, as the Pahinui Pavilion was reopened for community use.

The majority of the structure’s reconstruction project has been completed, though there is still additional electric work and grass maintenance to be tasked before the project is completely finished. That phase of the project is anticipated to be finished by the end of 2026, with the pavilion accessible from the Makapuʻu-side until that time.

The pavilion reconstruction project began in October 2025, designed to match the size and architectural character of the original structure, which was built in 1960, closed in 2017, and demolished in 2019 due to structural issues.

The rebuilt pavilion is made of precast concrete structural supports, concrete block walls, and an asphalt shingle roof with stainless steel gutters and downspouts. Built-in concrete benches were added to provide seating within the pavilion, which offers a partially enclosed space ideal for everyday use and special community events. The details of the pavilion reconstruction project are included on a website for City building projects at Waimānalo Beach Park.

The pavilion is dedicated in honor of the late Gabby “Pops” Pahinui, a renowned musician and ambassador of Hawaiian culture. For years before its closure and demolition, the pavilion served as a cultural nexus for the Waimānalo community and hosted some of the intermittent practices, such as the annual Gabby Pahinui Waimānalo Kanikapila. The City sincerely hopes this revitalized pavilion will once again serve the Waimānalo community and beyond for years to come.

Efforts to renovate the beach park’s comfort station and recreation building are expected to begin in early 2027. Additional information about those projects will be announced at a separate time. Mahalo for your patience until then.

08/27/2026

Come be part of the Job Club, and see what jobs are available in your City parks next week!

We are continuing our partnership with the State's Workforce Development Division to take part in a job fair on Wednesday, September 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The first two hours of the fair are devoted to military veterans and their eligible dependents, with the hiring event open to the general public beginning at 11 a.m.

The event is at the American Job Center within Dole Cannery at 680 Iwilei Road, Suite 700. Make sure to take the elevator to the 7th floor.

For more information email [email protected] or call 808-832-1990.

08/26/2026

The closure of the popular playfields at Kapi‘olani Regional Park will be extended through September 11, 2026 to allow for completion of in-depth turf maintenance. Much of the staff and equipment used to revitalize these fields was needed for cleanup and mitigation of impacts from Tropical Storm Lala, so we need an extra week to get the work done.

Park staff have contacted permittees to alert them of the extended closure, which first began earlier in August 2026. The fields are expected to be reopened for permitted and casual usage on September 12, 2026. Mahalo for your patience and understanding.