PETITION: CREATING A DEDICATED LIGHTED PICKLEBALL COMPLEX WITHIN KALAELOA PARKLANDS

TO:  Honolulu City and County Office of the Mayor and its administration; the Honolulu City Council;­­ and the Honolulu Board of Parks and Recreation. ­­­­­

PETITION: We, the undersigned residents of Honolulu, Hawai’i, hereby present this petition to address the opportunity of creating a lighted pickleball complex of at least 20 courts within the newly deeded 400 acres of Kalaeloa Parklands. 

BACKGROUND:  

On June 12, 2024, the City and County of Honolulu took ownership of approximately 400 acres of former Navy-owned land of Kalaeloa for public park and public recreational area purposes. The City and County of Honolulu will have jurisdiction of the area with the National Park Services (NPS) overseeing compliance with covenants and agreements contained in the deed.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi, per the Office of the Mayor press release, reports, “We have heard from communities across O’ahu about the compelling need for additional public park and recreational opportunities. This generous gift of lands from the Navy and the National Park Services offers our administration an opportunity to think big and outside-the-box for more recreational opportunities for the people of O’ahu. Whether pickleball courts, tennis courts, camp sites along O’ahu’s leeward coast or possibly a future community motorsports park, these former Navy lands given to the people of O’ahu by the NPS are an investment in our communities and the quality of life of our people.” 

Cynthia Thielen, the Director of Department of Parks and Recreation for the City and County of Honolulu, notes that now that the title is in place, the city will be able to invest in extensive planning and improvements for the residents of this area.

Fortune Media states that pickleball has burst into the mainstream due to its low barrier to entry and variety of health benefits—including the opportunity to socialize and build community. It is considered the fastest growing sport in the United States and is growing in popularity in Hawai’i. 

Per a City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation news release (March 2, 2023), “Pickleball’s popularity in the islands is apparent through the increasing number of players using public courts around O’ahu.”

According to the O’ahu Pickleball Association, “Nothing beats playing pickleball from mauka to makai. We know what a positive impact pickleball has on our community and what it means to the visitors to our state. As this sport continues to grow, so will the need for building dedicated, standalone pickleball courts, something that has and always have [sic] been our priority.”

PETITION REQUEST: Creating a dedicated 20-court lighted pickleball complex (similar to the Jarand M.W. Iwase tennis complex at the Patsy Mink Regional Park) within the newly deeded 400- acre Kalaeloa Parklands.  The complex should include bathrooms and a concession area. 

We believe that a pickleball complex in the Kalaeloa Parklands will enhance recreational opportunities for residents of the surrounding area. The signatories below have joined together in support of this cause, seeking your assistance in creating the proposed pickleball complex.