Honolulu Reporter

O‘AHU – With the goal of reopening a popular Windward parking lot while longer-term repairs can be planned, City staff are determining immediate courses of action to address a sinkhole blocking the entrance to the upper parking lot at Kāne‘ohe District Park.

The sinkhole was first discovered in mid-April as the result of two deteriorating 42” drain lines. Since then, City staff have been attempted different solutions to either permanently fix or temporarily patch the void. Unfortunately none of the preliminary fixes (such as steel plates or concrete filling) would have worked, with more and more undermined and structurally compromised areas of the lot being discovered.

Today, City and State officials met to determine other options available to work around problem area, and provide public access to the upper parking lot while the City continues to investigate long-term solutions. This included discussions with adjacent property owners to provide alternative access to the lot, or creating a widened parking lot entrance to avoid the compromised area.

The City will provide additional updates on the preferred option as they become available. In the meantime, the drainage line was cleared and additional surveying of the deteriorated pipes will be done. Complete repairs to the drain lines would likely require a larger, more expensive Capital Improvement Project. However, the City is determined to find a temporary solution to the problem, and hopes to safely restore public access to the affected parking lot before the beginning of the popular soccer season in August.

We greatly appreciate the patience and understanding of the park users and community leaders as we work to address this sinkhole.

To request auxiliary aids or services, accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov at least three business days before the scheduled event. Please note that we may not be able to fulfill requests without sufficient advance notice.

Original source can be found here.