Our neighborhood beach parks are being threatened by increased commercialization. City Council member Ikaika Anderson has introduced City Council Bill 11 that would by ordinance authorize an unlimited number of tour buses to drop off tourist at Kailua beach park and would allow four tourist-oriented concession stands to operate at Kalama Beach Park and Kailua Beach Park.
Keep it Kailua believes this is the wrong approach. Bill 11 should be modified to prohibit tour buses and ban commercial activities from our beach parks. Kailua is a residential community and our beach parks should be a safe-haven from commercialization.
This Friday, March 30th at 3:30PM, please join fellow residents for sign-waving demonstration at the park across from Castle Hospital. Let’s make a presence and show the Council we don’t want Kailua turned into a resort area. Please bring blank poster boards and permanent pens and we will make our messages consistent.
Please also write, e-mail, or call council members on the Parks and Cultural Affairs Committee asking them to change Bill 11 to specify the following:
1) No tourist buses dropping off tourist at Kailua or Kalama beach parks.
2) There shall be no vendor permits issued for Kailua or Kalama beaches.
Please contact all the following Parks and Cultural Affairs Committee members via phone and e-mail and state the above two points:
Ikaika Anderson (808) 768-5003 ianderson@honolulu.gov
Tom Berg (808) 768-5001 tberg@honolulu.gov
Romy Cachola (808) 768-5007 rcachola.honolulu.gov
Tulsi Gabbard (808) 768-5006 tgabbard@honolulu.gov
Breene Harimoto (808) 768-5008 bharimoto@honolulu.gov