Cultural preservation group emerges as top dog in heiau, dog park dispute

HALEIWA—At the January North Shore Neighborhood Board (NSNB) meeting, Malama Keia Aina O Haleiwa succeeded in stopping the development of a dog park proposed for Kaiaka Bay Beach Park, the sacred site of Kapukapuakea Heiau complex. Residents and activists gathered at Alii Beach Park to witness the outcome of scheduled vote on moving forward with the dog park on land that had been well documented as a place that has served Hawaiians as a center for ceremonial and spiritual practices, navigational training, and astronomical observation.

The off-leash dog park had been pre-approved by the majority of the NSNB in February 2009, and according to Malama Keia ‘Aina O Hale’iwa, an organization formed to stop the park and “preserve and protect Hawaiian cultural sites in Waialua,” the approval was granted with no consultation with Hawaiian organizations. The North Shore Woof Pack, a non-profit organization established in July 2009 to build the park, also attended the meeting in hopes of moving ahead with their plans.

In November, Malia Evans, co-chair of Malama Keia Aina O Haleiwa said: “We want the Woof Pack to know that we aren’t anti-dog park overall. We would like to see them find a good spot for their park. It’s just that we want them to find a better place that doesn’t present health risks and the desecration of a sacred Hawaiian site.”

Approximately 30 people attended the meeting in support of Malama Keia Aina O Haleiwa. The Woof Pack was also in attendance with around five supporters, including Kyoko Nakayama, owner of the dog training and pet sitting business Waialua Doggies, who was spearheading the proposal and represented the group.

A county representative stated early on in the meeting that the land is owned by the city, which entitled the NSNB to determine what would be done with the land. When the board opened the floor for community members to express their concerns, testifiers approached the microphone, voicing the importance of preventing the dog park from being built on sacred land. People came from all over the island to protest the K-9 playground, including surfing legend Buffalo Keaulana and Kimo Armitage, a Hawaiian studies professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, who gave extensive background information on the historical and cultural significance of the land.

One Makaha resident said: “We love dogs. I have seven. Just don’t do this on our heiau. We wouldn’t do this on your churches or community centers so please don’t do it to a heiau.”

Bruce Blankenfeld, founding member of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, expressed his opposition to the dog park through a letter read aloud by a member of the cultural preservation group.

Two young women from Waialua High School also expressed their discomfort with the location of the dog park. “We don’t want it there. It’s a sacred area. We need one somewhere but this is not an appropriate place,” explained one of the girls. The other young woman said to the crowd, “I am speaking on behalf of Waialua’s National Honor Society. We don’t approve it. Help find a new site.”

Opponents also expressed the concerns of Haleiwa Elementary parents and teachers who said the park would bring disease, noise, distractions, and the danger of children getting attacked. Several speakers said that they had spoken with teachers and parents of Haleiwa elementary who expressed that they did not support the park.

Armitage said to the board that although the dangers of the park being near the school and the 700 or so signatures on a petition against the dog park were something to take into consideration, the biggest concern was the cultural significance that Kapukapuakea held for Hawaiians and other Polynesians.

Board member Blake McElheny later apologized for not consulting with Hawaiians on the cultural significance of the site sooner, something several board members acknowledged as having an influence on their decision to vote no on the development.

“We hear the Hawaiian voices,” Nakayama said. “The park is not intended to disrepect the culture.”

She said she hoped that modifications made to the original plan would take care of some of the issues opponents worried about. The changes include a small dog area to separate smaller dogs from larger dogs, parking stalls designed specifically for the park so dog owners wouldn’t use parking spaces intended for other visitors, increasing the original setback from the elementary school from 10 to 17 feet, and an increase in the set back from Haleiwa Road to 170 feet.

“Personally, we have never seen a dog jump over two fences to attack a child and we don’t foresee that happening,” said Nakayama, who told the board that she had spoken with one of the school’s principles who didn’t mind the idea of a dog park bordering the school.

At voting time, Carol Phillips was the first to make a motion to say no to the Woof Pack’s proposal. The majority of the NSNB soon backed her after Gil Riviere suggested, “Withdrawing support for now and taking time for further study before making a decision,” adding, “I have a hard time understanding how dogs would disrespect [the heiau].”

Community members are now urging the Woof Pack to find an appropriate piece of property to allow dogs to run free on, something Armitage offered to help with.

“Thank goodness [the board] voted against it,” one Waialua resident said after the vote. “It would have disrespected an entire culture. It’s insulting that of all pieces of land they choose a heiau to try and do this on. I’m happy the neighborhood board made the right decision.”