Waimea Park To Close For OHA Takeover
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Del.icio.usWaimea Valley will be closed to the public Jan. 30 for about a week to allow an orderly changeover in management from the National Audubon Society to Hiilei Aloha, a nonprofit entity of the the ahupua’a's owner, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
“Audubon is closing for two days, and the valley will likely be closed for another week or so as the new management takes over,” explained Gary Gill,executive director of Hiilei Aloha. “We need time for general cleanup and all the technical things like new-hire orientation, changing the signs. We hope to reopen in just a week, and initially we will be keeping the same hours. The price is likely to increase slightly to assure that the operation is financially viable.”
Gill, a former City Council chairman who also held leadership posts in the state Environmental Health division, Office of Environmental Quality Control and Sierra Club Hawaii, expects the upcoming year to be challenging and exciting.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to recast Waimea Valley and to build on many of the positive programs that the National Audubon Society has created there,“said Gill.“I think the new day provides us with the opportunity to grow and return Waimea to that special place that people have in their hearts for the valley.”
Plans following the changeover are to bring more authentic cultural experiences to the valley park and to create a living puuhonua (sanctuary or place of learning) for Hawaiian cultural practices.
“The first thing we want to do is invite local people to come and see the valley again,” added Gill. “We also will be working to encourage our visitors or tourists to explore the valley.”
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