Some people say the fence around the county park along Kaumuali‘i Highway in Puhi is a waste of materials that needlessly encloses a once fine open-space area. Others agree with former Mayor Maryanne Kusaka that the fence was needed to
Some people say the fence around the county park along Kaumuali‘i Highway in Puhi is a waste of materials that needlessly encloses a once fine open-space area.
Others agree with former Mayor Maryanne Kusaka that the fence was needed to separate vehicular traffic from park users, and prevent vehicle-sellers from using the open park as a used-car lot.
Regardless of which camp you’re in, the reality is that contractors from Wellington Fence have enclosed the park, and Kusaka said she immediately noticed more children playing in the park after the fence was erected.
Cyndi Mei Ozaki, county public information officer, said the fencing project was a priority of Kusaka’s when she was still in office, and nearly two years into the four-year term of Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste the work finally got done.
Children didn’t use the park much when it wasn’t fenced, Kusaka said, because balls would find their ways onto the busy highway or side streets around the park.
It also irritated her to have parks including this one used as used-car lots, a practice that actually is against the county law banning unauthorized motor vehicles in parks, she said.
“I was really happy to see that fence go up,” and right away more children were using that park, Kusaka said. “We have to fence the parks because children aren’t safe. Children aren’t safe without enclosures.”
Paul C. Curtis, associate editor, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@pulitzer.net.
