The Heʻeia State Park banquet hall has reopened after being closed for a month due to the cancellation of a lease with the nonprofit Kama‘aina Care, Inc. The facility, which has been managed by partners with the DLNR Division of State Parks (DSP) since 1977, is now under new management. In January, Halau Nohona Hawai‘i (HNH), another nonprofit organization, was granted a revocable permit by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) on a month-to-month basis.
Curt Cottrell, DSP Administrator, commented on HNH's involvement: “DSP has learned that HNH, through the culinary and event management skills of its co-founder Kaimana Chee,a kumu hula and a homegrown resident from Hauʻula, will be able to provide an affordable and quality standard for events in the banquet hall.” He added that Kaimana Chee brings extensive experience in managing diverse culinary and event operations across six continents back to his community.
In preparation for reopening, DSP acquired 300 new chairs and 40 tables. Staff members were responsible for unwrapping these items and marking them as park property. A caretaker has been assigned to manage daily operations at the entrance gate and support services at the comfort station.
Maintenance of the grounds will continue through contracted services as DSP has not had dedicated staff for this park in over 14 years due to previous maintenance by Kamaʻaina Care. The Puakea Foundation will maintain its curatorship agreement at its halau waʻa onsite and continue offering waʻa restoration programs along with paddling training workshops.
A significant addition to Heʻeia State Park is DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), which is establishing a field station there. This includes installing an office trailer to enhance law enforcement capabilities on Oahu's windward coast. DOCARE's presence aims to improve public safety following recent incidents such as break-ins and arson fires within the park.
Cottrell described DOCARE’s move as “timely,” noting past issues including thefts from Kama‘aina Care’s property and damage caused by break-ins. “Having DOCARE’s presence is enormously beneficial not only for He‘eia but for the adjacent He‘eia Kea Small Boat Harbor and other facilities and lands in windward O‘ahu under DLNR jurisdiction,” he said.