The Playground at Kuhio Park Terrace/ Kuhio Homes

A Good Beginning

2005-01-01T19:18:00.000-08:00

Residents of Kuhio Park Terrace and Kuhio Homes, the largest public housing project in Hawaii, have long hoped for a safe place for their children to play.

In early 2003, participants in the two resident associations joined with staff from the Good Beginnings Alliance to prepare for a community wide Talk Story for the Littlest Keiki. Funded by the Annie B. Casey Foundation, the Hawaii Community Foundation and the Hawaii People’s Fund, planning and training was carried out with 20 residents and the Talk Story happened in August of 2003. Five critical issues were identified and addressed by approximately 400 adults and youths. The issues were:

1. Keiki Health and Well Being
2. Keiki Safety
3. Keiki Abuse and Neglect
4. Keiki Program Activities
5. Keiki Playground and Play Areas.

Each issue was highlighted for discussion in its own booth where trained resident leaders were listeners and recorders of what other residents had to say about the problem and its potential solutions.

There were also booths set up for people who speak other languages to express their opinions. Interestingly the common thread in all of the booths was the need for a playground. Residents related a playground to health, safety, and so on. The need for a playground became the single most important common goal to arise from the Talk Story.

Kuhio Park Terrace Playground in the News

2004-12-28T19:53:00.000-08:00

Talk Story
Hawai`i Community Foundation
Honolulu Star-Bulletin Hawaii News

Playground Dedication
Aloha United Way : News - Kuhio Park Terrace and Kuhio Homes ...
Kalihi kids help kick off safe playground project - The Honolulu ...
HMSA helps fund playground at Kuhio Park Terrace

Partnerships Tell the Story

2004-12-28T13:35:00.000-08:00

Partnership has been the key word and action to making the playground possible. The initial partnership of the KPT Resident Association and the Kuhio Homes Resident Association with the Good Beginnings Alliance began expanding in spring of 2004. PACT Family Center, Aloha United Way and Island Recreation joined the effort and infused the project with momentum. Later on other PACT programs joined the effort as have a number of community stakeholders.

Three large community meetings laid the groundwork for the project. Since then working committees have planned the playground, explored safety issues, and begun fundraising for the project. A Core Planning Committee acts as the glue that holds the project together.

Mahalo to the Kuhio Playground Supporters

2004-12-28T13:04:00.000-08:00

Funding from the Hawaii Community Foundation, Mo` Bettah Together grant, (and a CDBG grant from the City and County of Honolulu) has supported part time staffing, resident training (community development training is also an ongoing component of the project) and ongoing costs of the project.

We would also like to extend our gratitude and appreciation to our playground funding sponsors, HMSA, the Atherton Family Foundation, Aloha United Way and the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii for their support in getting us more than half way to our funding goal of $172,000.00

Funding/Donations to date, 12/28/04:

$ 30,000 – HMSA
$ 30,000 – Atherton Family Foundation
$ 25,000 – HCDCH
$ 8,600 – Staff and operations of the Aloha United Way
$ 1,000 – Helenann and Irv Lauber
$ 300 – Resident associations car wash
$ 450 – Private Donations
_________________________________

$ 95,350.00

Project Information and Downloads

2004-12-27T21:35:00.000-08:00

Project Information

Executive Summary
Funding Proposal
Project Budget

Core Committee Flyer 12-21-04

Playground Committees

School Age Playstructure

2004-12-27T01:34:00.000-08:00

5-15 Playstructure

0-5 Playstructure

2004-12-27T01:12:00.000-08:00

Playground Structures

Kuhio Park Terrace Ground Blessing and Playground Dedication Day

2004-12-26T21:04:00.000-08:00

Irv and HelenAnn Lauber

Welcome

This playground is dedicated to

Helenann and Irving Lauber

who made our community a better

place to raise our Kieki.

Helenann Lauber
Helen Ann's career was at the Parents and Children Together's Family Center that is located on the grounds of KPT/KH and she is much beloved by the community

Irv Lauber

Irv Lauber's career at Aloha United Way spanned 14 years. He was responsible for expanding the agencies role of fundraiser to community builder.

2004-12-26T11:49:00.000-08:00

KPT Kids at the Ground Blessing

2004-12-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

KPT Kids Need a Safe Place to Play

A note from Island Recreation

2004-12-25T18:24:00.000-08:00

We at Island Recreation have been blessed with the opportunity to build hundreds of playgrounds in Hawaii and we've never met a child or a group of children that didn't deserve a safe place to play. However, only on a rare occasion will we run across a unique situation like Kuhio Park Terrace. With an under 12 child population greater than the enrollment of any public elementary school in the state, we're pretty certain that Hawaii's largest public housing project is the island's largest group of children without a safe place to play. Currently children play in the housing elevators, streets, and nearby drainage ditches. We consider it an honor to donate our time and services to join with the good spirit and dedication of all Kuhio Park Terrace/ Kuhio Homes residents and all the supporting agencies involved to provide a safe and enriching play environment for these very deserving children.