After being closed for more than a year, gates to enter Ka‘ena Point on O‘ahu will reopen - but only for limited hours.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced that the Keawa‘ula entrance gate, which can be accessed from Farrington Highway on the Waianae Coast, will be reopened starting this Saturday.
Prior to the pandemic, the gates were always open. But they were closed due to emergency orders to limit gatherings.
The gates will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays until September 30. That’s when O‘ahu security gate contracts are up for renewal.
Overnight use is not allowed, and current COVID protocols must be followed.
A single caretaker from the DLNR Division of State Parks is assigned to the M?kua and Keawa‘ula sections of the park, creating a major challenge for cleanup after large, unpermitted events during three-day weekends. A second caretaker position has been frozen due to budget restrictions. However, a community organization - which DLNR did not name - helps with maintenance and park cleanup.
“We were gravely concerned based on these behaviors that people would not honor COVID-19 gathering restrictions," DLNR Division of State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell said in a statement. "Our law enforcement division (DOCARE) is spread thin.The park’s remote location made limiting patronage by keeping the gates closed, the most prudent action to combat the spread of coronavirus.”
The DLNR says its goal is to reopen Keawa‘ula daily for vehicle access.
