Haiku Preservation Plan Wins OHA Grant

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By Christina O’connor

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has approved a $24,334 grant to the Koolau Foundation that will support the preservation of Haiku Valley, a cultural treasure in Kaneohe.

The funds will go toward hiring planning officials and aiding the foundation in setting logistics for the project, which has been in the works since 2008.

“We think there is enormous potential to revitalize this area, identify and preserve our historic sites and cultural properties, and reconnect our community with this incredibly important resource,” said community liaison Mahealani Cypher.

The Foundation will consult stakeholders and residents to formulate a specific plan to best preserve the area - including the renovation of cultural and historical sites.†

Plans likely will include remodeling the old OMEGA station and possibly turning the unused building into a museum and cultural center.†

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has owned the land in Haiku Valley since the 1990s, and its future has been debated since then, so this project signals a much-anticipated change, according to Koolau Foundation president Lawrence Akina Jr.

“We are pleased to be moving forward on this long-awaited project, which is part of our community’s vision to establish a cultural preserve in the valley,” Akina said.