HANAMA‘ULU — The Play Streets Kaua‘i planning team announced the arrival of and accessibility to the popular Play Streets free program at Laukona Park in Hanama‘ulu on Aug. 12 from 3 to 6 p.m.
“We express our deep gratitude to all the partners and volunteers who made this Play Streets event in Hanama‘ulu possible for our keiki,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami. “Enabling our children to have safe outdoor play and engage in physical activities is important to develop healthy habits and build robust social connections with others.”
Play Streets Kaua‘i is a community-led event that sometimes shuts down a road to traffic for a short period of time to offer a safe and accessible play space so keiki and ‘ohana can come together and get active.
“Although Play Streets Kaua‘i is not planning to close any streets to traffic in Hanama‘ulu, our goal is to use this recently renovated Laukona Park space to promote physical activity and foster community relationships in a family-friendly environment,” said Blanca Gil Lopez of the state Department of Health (DOH) Kaua‘i District Health Office. “This is a no-cost event, open to everyone, and no RSVP is needed.”
Some of the Play Street activities planned for the Laukona Park event include finger boarding, or a version of skateboarding using fingers, a fun obstacle course, keiki soccer and basketball, and free play with painting, can toss, hula hoops, jumping rope and others.
State DOH Kaua‘i District Health Officer Dr. Janet Berreman said, “Play Streets Kaua‘i is a great way for families to be active together, including children of all ages. I encourage the public to come have some fun at the Laukona Park event.”
Play Streets Kaua‘i, experiencing previous successes in Kekaha at several of its community events and the Rice Street Block Party held in 2022, is brought to the community through a partnership of the County of Kaua‘i Planning Department and Office of Economic Development, Kupa‘a Kaua‘i, the Marshallese Association of Kaua‘i, Na Lei Wili Area Health Education Center, Kaua‘i Skate ‘Ohana, Toy Fit Kaua‘i, the state DOH and Get Fit Kaua‘i.
If an individual needs an auxiliary aid or service or other accommodations due to a disability, contact the Planning Department at 808-241-4050, or email planningdepartment@kauai.gov as soon as possible. Requests made as early as possible will allow adequate time to fulfill them.
On request, a notice of the event is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille or electronic copy.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
