$750K playground in Kapa‘au opens Saturday

The Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation announces that the new children’s playground at Kamehameha Park in Kapa‘au will open on Saturday.

The prior, decades-old playground equipment was demolished in July 2024, and an entirely new playground was designed and installed, complete with a new synthetic turf safety surfacing system.

The playground now meets Americans with Disabilities Act standards and features new tactile and interactive elements, challenging climbing structures similar to those at Gilbert Kahele Recreation Area, and various spinners and swings.

The $750,000 playground project represents a significant investment that will greatly benefit the keiki of North Kohala, according to a county press release.

“We’re thrilled to bring a new, safe, and accessible playground to the keiki of North Kohala,” said Mayor Mitch Roth in the press release. “This project reflects our commitment to creating spaces where our children can play, learn and thrive. We’re excited to see families come together to enjoy this new addition to Kamehameha Park.”

To celebrate, Parks and Rec invites the community to join a reopening and blessing event at the playground at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Along with the playground itself, other improvements included in the project are the addition of accessible walkways, new fencing, benches and an accessible picnic table.

“Playgrounds provide enormous health benefits for keiki and also support the well-being of their families and caregivers,” said Maurice Messina, director of Parks and Recreation. “We are pleased to open this new playground, replacing an important feature at Kamehameha Park.”

Though the playground itself is complete, construction work is continuing at some of the adjacent areas, which will be fenced off and marked with signage.

Kamehameha Park’s hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.