22nd March 2011
Posted in Updates

Six months after the groundbreaking ceremony, the Malaekahana Bike & Pedestrian Path was dedicated Saturday March 19, 2011.  At Kaleo: Koolauloa News, Mike Foley offered an in-depth story on the dedication (more pictures like the one above can be found on the Envision Laie Facebook page):

Kupuna or respected elders untied fragrant maile-leaf leis amid Hawaiian chanting on May 19, 2011, as hundreds of Koolauloa residents came together in the pasture at the intersection of Kamehameha Highway and Gunstock Ranch Road to celebrate the dedication and opening of the new Malaekahana Bike and Pedestrian Path.

With those official duties accomplished, the people turned their attention to a pa’ina or meal of six slow-roasted pigs and barbecued chicken — accompanied, of course, by Hawaiian music and hula.

Running between the Kahawainui and Malaekahana bridges, the 8-foot wide and 1.2 mile long Malaekahana Bike & Pedestrian Path is a collaborative effort between landowner and primary sponsor, Hawaii Reserves, Inc. (HRI), the Laie Community Association (LCA), the Kahuku Community Association (KCA), Operating Engineers Local Union 3, and community residents and businesses. Along with these organizations hundreds of people representing families, church groups, and communities throughout the Koolau Loa region volunteered spending several Saturday mornings to help complete the project. You can see pictures of these volunteers on the Envision Laie Facebook page.

The story in Kaleo also commented on the dedication program Saturday morning:

In a short program earlier that morning, Laie Community Association (LCA) board member Kevin Schlag noted, “More than 275 people from Sunset Beach to Punaluu volunteered more than 800 hours of service for this project. Volunteers from the Operating Engineers Local 3 training program in Kahuku donated all the equipment and expertise to grade the path, and Grace Pacific donated nearly 200 truckloads of road-base material.”

Schlag recognized the support of people involved with the Sunset Beach bike path and Kahuku community; and he said many local businesses donated time and materials, including Iosepa Electric, Laie Concrete, Ala Kona Paving, Abigail Kawananakoa, Hawaii Reserve, Inc. crews. He also extended “a huge mahalo to [HRI Director of Engineering and Utilities] Jeff Tyau for his unceasing efforts as the HRI foreman.”

“Finally, I want to thank Junior Ah You for the vision to make it happen and the food to keep everybody happy,” Schlag continued. “This has been an excellent example of how the community can work together to get things done.”

Ah You, also an LCA board member, in turn thanked his extended family for their help in preparing the food for the celebration, and other local businesses for donating the food and more than 20 bikes that were given away as prizes.

Originally expected to be completed in April, residents are excited to have the path available early.  In fact, although not yet officially open, some have already been using it for commuting to school and work – and for fitness. The project complements the city’s Honolulu Bicycle Path Master Plan for bicycle-friendly neighborhoods, where biking becomes a viable and popular travel choice for students, commuters, families and visitors.

In addition to the story in Kaleo, television news coverage of the event could also be found at Hawaii News Now.

The Envision Laie project that connects Laie and Kahuku was slated to open in April, but volunteers finished it up a couple weeks early. Verla Moore, a resident in the area expressed, “I think it’s great. I see people using it to and from school already. We hope to get more of our community out.”

Envision Laie represents a diverse group of residents and stakeholders of Laie, Kahuku and Hauula in the Koolauloa district who are working together to plan future possibilities that protect the quality of life and emphasize the values of the people who live in the area.