Soccer on Maui has outgrown the amount of soccer fields currently available. KCC has served generations of soccer players. There was a time when those fields were shared with baseball as well although, it seems we have managed to develop more baseball facilities then we have soccer ones. KCC currently makes up 1/3 of the available soccer fields in Central Maui and is used by AYSO, HSF and HYSA throughout the year. Not having access to KCC will severely affect the leagues ability to provide games and practice space for clubs and teams. Please do not take KCC from the soccer community.
As the population of Maui grows, so does the needs for shared community recreational space. Kahului park is an important central Maui resource for supporting healthy robust local communities. If anything, it needs more not less.
Aloha,
Although the role Hale Makua has in our community is important, I would hope equal consideration is taken as to the significant role open public space means to our communities already marginalized by commercial interests. KCC, in particular, creates a space for aspiring youth athletes to train, recreation use by families, including our kupuna and, above all, is an equitable resource for all those who want a safe outside space to enjoy (even more significant when in door facilities are shut down or have pandemic related restrictions). I hope that our council members will treat this resolution with fairness and make compromises if necessary for the benefit of all those who use KCC as a public resource. Mahalo
Aloha Council Members,
Please reconsider the proposal to lease KCC to Hale Makua. While they are a valuable organization in our community, open parks space is in short supply. As the population of Maui grows so does the number of children involved in youth sports. My son has played on an upcountry soccer team for the last 6 years and recently moved down to a team that practices at KCC. I was surprised by the number of teams practicing on a daily basis as well as the number of people exercising. The park is so full that at 6:00 there is very little parking. Losing another open space would negatively impact a large number of kids and adults. Thank you for your consideration.
Mahalo,
Emily Haines
We are writing in opposition to the taking of Kahului Community Center for Hale Makua use. While we understand Hale Makua's benefits to the elderly within Maui County we feel that parks contribute to the physical activities necessary to the public. Being born and raised here we have seen the decline in fields utilize within the soccer communities and it would be shameful to take this away from the youth. Having the opportunity to stay active helps steer children to a positive lifestyle.
My children have played on this field for several years. Since this pandemic, this field has become the safe & happy spot that my kids can enjoy. With minimal places to go during pandemic, my Keiki and family look forward to all activities on these fields & walk area. Please don’t rip this from our keiki. We already have limited fields for them. This will strip them again from activities & building their future.
We humbly request that Kahului Community Center Park not be rezoned in a manner that limits the community’s access to its athletic fields, walking/jogging trail, playgrounds, courts, or other areas where community recreation currently takes place.
To be clear, our family if very familiar with all the good Hale Makua does for our community. Prior to COVID restrictions, our family would visit Hale Makua frequently to see a family friend who was admitted there.
That said, we’re also very familiar with KCC Park, and all the active, educational hours it has afforded our family through the years. Our son has practiced and played games on these fields for almost a decade. I’ve personally run hundreds of miles on the loop around the park.
Our family echoes the sentiments of other families who have submitted comments in opposition of the rezoning.
Park space for youth athletics is already a premium, and a pervasive challenge for coaches to secure. To removes KCC fields the already limited pool of available athletic facilities would have an immediate negative impact on youth athletics at almost every level, and only offer our kids fewer opportunities to recreate and engage in youth sports.
Our hope is that this will remain an accessible space for keiki and community for many years to come.
Council Members,
Please reconsider your choice in taking away KCC from the Maui soccer clubs. The soccer community is growing and it would be so devastating to take away one of the few fields that we have. There’s more than one team that practices there everyday and some clubs split the fields with age groups.
Seeing how my club has grown and how other teams have grown is incredible. Watching/playing with the younger generation makes me love the game even more. They are so competitive, creative, and truly inspiring. I understand giving back to the elders, but the younger generation is our future.
Playing soccer is such an important thing to me abs my teammates and having a high quality field is vital for us. The Kahului parks give us the opportunity to play the sport we love and come together as not only as teammates, but also friends and family. These parks have a much higher meaning to what meets the eye. Please don’t take them away from us
My chikdren have Soccer practice on these fields and its very hard for our club to find space for their practices. Eliminating this option will cause problems. PLEASE keep the park open to the community until other parks are created for use and then reallocate. Our voices from the smaller groups and few outspoken should also be heard and count towards your decisions. Thank you!
You cannot reasonably take away the use of this park from the soccer clubs. Its already hard enough for clubs to get access to fields for playing. These fields will then be left empty for most of the time not getting much use.
Whenever we are in the park playing disc golf, walking the dog or goofing around, these fields are empty... the majority of use we see on these fields are the soccer groups.
As a parent of multiple children that play soccer for different clubs this will only complicate things more than they already are.
Because of the scarcity of practice fields I currently have two practices at the same time. 1 in Kahului and 1 in Kihei. The county should be making efforts to ease restrictions so our keiki have MORE opportunity.
OPEN MORE PARKS/SCHOOLS FOR USE. How long in good conscience can we neglect the children of our community!
Please please please do not take away our KCC park. Our keiki’s loves this park and my daughter participates in soccer there. Please consider an option that would benefit the community and Hale Makua. Mahalo Nui for your time!
Aloha,
I have my 2 children in soccer utilizing Kahului Community Park. I also know a lot of people who are in the program; and believe, it is benefiting our community tremendously. I ask that you please consider allowing our keiki to continue to play sports, as we are running out of places to go.
Thank you for taking the time to read my comments.
We very much appreciate all that Hale Makua does for our elders, but open park space, especially soccer and sports fields are already so scarce. If we do not provide our children with opportunities to exercise and play sports, the overall health and future of our community is at stake. Please, consider at least allowing some space for our Keiki…
We have a shortage of fields (especially soccer) and open space for kids to play. Keeping kids active is already difficult in this day and age. Without more parks and more green space for us to take them to sport organizations or just unstructured play we are making it even hard to keep them healthy and active.
Aloha CouncilMembers and Chair Paltin,
As a Mom to 3 keiki who use Kahului Community Park several times a week, I’d like to let you know what a valuable resource this is for the community. From toddlers at the playground, to youth and teens on the soccer field, adult rugby, frisbee players of all ages and the elders that walk and jog the park… it is well used.
It’s very hard to get field space for kids to play sports. Right now, our kids’ club Valley Isle, is looking at playing on asphalt because there are no grassy fields available. My kids might have to take a break from one of the few outdoor sports deemed safe during the pandemic because there is no field space.
Please let the community plan discussions play out before rezoning this park. Maybe a compromise of some of the land going to Hale Makua, and keep the fields, playgrounds, restrooms, frisbee and pool for the general community? We desperately need more open space for everyone!
Mahalo for taking the time to discuss this issue. Wishing you all good health and happy hearts 💕.
Warmly,
Deborah Mader
That field is heavily used for soccer for our youth.
Soccer on Maui has outgrown the amount of soccer fields currently available. KCC has served generations of soccer players. There was a time when those fields were shared with baseball as well although, it seems we have managed to develop more baseball facilities then we have soccer ones. KCC currently makes up 1/3 of the available soccer fields in Central Maui and is used by AYSO, HSF and HYSA throughout the year. Not having access to KCC will severely affect the leagues ability to provide games and practice space for clubs and teams. Please do not take KCC from the soccer community.
As the population of Maui grows, so does the needs for shared community recreational space. Kahului park is an important central Maui resource for supporting healthy robust local communities. If anything, it needs more not less.
Aloha,
Although the role Hale Makua has in our community is important, I would hope equal consideration is taken as to the significant role open public space means to our communities already marginalized by commercial interests. KCC, in particular, creates a space for aspiring youth athletes to train, recreation use by families, including our kupuna and, above all, is an equitable resource for all those who want a safe outside space to enjoy (even more significant when in door facilities are shut down or have pandemic related restrictions). I hope that our council members will treat this resolution with fairness and make compromises if necessary for the benefit of all those who use KCC as a public resource. Mahalo
Aloha Council Members,
Please reconsider the proposal to lease KCC to Hale Makua. While they are a valuable organization in our community, open parks space is in short supply. As the population of Maui grows so does the number of children involved in youth sports. My son has played on an upcountry soccer team for the last 6 years and recently moved down to a team that practices at KCC. I was surprised by the number of teams practicing on a daily basis as well as the number of people exercising. The park is so full that at 6:00 there is very little parking. Losing another open space would negatively impact a large number of kids and adults. Thank you for your consideration.
Mahalo,
Emily Haines
We are writing in opposition to the taking of Kahului Community Center for Hale Makua use. While we understand Hale Makua's benefits to the elderly within Maui County we feel that parks contribute to the physical activities necessary to the public. Being born and raised here we have seen the decline in fields utilize within the soccer communities and it would be shameful to take this away from the youth. Having the opportunity to stay active helps steer children to a positive lifestyle.
Thank you for your time.
My children have played on this field for several years. Since this pandemic, this field has become the safe & happy spot that my kids can enjoy. With minimal places to go during pandemic, my Keiki and family look forward to all activities on these fields & walk area. Please don’t rip this from our keiki. We already have limited fields for them. This will strip them again from activities & building their future.
Aloha Council Members and Chair Paltin,
We humbly request that Kahului Community Center Park not be rezoned in a manner that limits the community’s access to its athletic fields, walking/jogging trail, playgrounds, courts, or other areas where community recreation currently takes place.
To be clear, our family if very familiar with all the good Hale Makua does for our community. Prior to COVID restrictions, our family would visit Hale Makua frequently to see a family friend who was admitted there.
That said, we’re also very familiar with KCC Park, and all the active, educational hours it has afforded our family through the years. Our son has practiced and played games on these fields for almost a decade. I’ve personally run hundreds of miles on the loop around the park.
Our family echoes the sentiments of other families who have submitted comments in opposition of the rezoning.
Park space for youth athletics is already a premium, and a pervasive challenge for coaches to secure. To removes KCC fields the already limited pool of available athletic facilities would have an immediate negative impact on youth athletics at almost every level, and only offer our kids fewer opportunities to recreate and engage in youth sports.
Our hope is that this will remain an accessible space for keiki and community for many years to come.
Mahalo for listening to our concerns.
Todd Vines
The Vines Ohana
Oppose the complete rezoning of the park.
Council Members,
Please reconsider your choice in taking away KCC from the Maui soccer clubs. The soccer community is growing and it would be so devastating to take away one of the few fields that we have. There’s more than one team that practices there everyday and some clubs split the fields with age groups.
Seeing how my club has grown and how other teams have grown is incredible. Watching/playing with the younger generation makes me love the game even more. They are so competitive, creative, and truly inspiring. I understand giving back to the elders, but the younger generation is our future.
Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Playing soccer is such an important thing to me abs my teammates and having a high quality field is vital for us. The Kahului parks give us the opportunity to play the sport we love and come together as not only as teammates, but also friends and family. These parks have a much higher meaning to what meets the eye. Please don’t take them away from us
My chikdren have Soccer practice on these fields and its very hard for our club to find space for their practices. Eliminating this option will cause problems. PLEASE keep the park open to the community until other parks are created for use and then reallocate. Our voices from the smaller groups and few outspoken should also be heard and count towards your decisions. Thank you!
Taking away an entire park away from
the public affects too many sports teams and active families. Would be better if half was given to hale makua
Council Members,
You cannot reasonably take away the use of this park from the soccer clubs. Its already hard enough for clubs to get access to fields for playing. These fields will then be left empty for most of the time not getting much use.
Whenever we are in the park playing disc golf, walking the dog or goofing around, these fields are empty... the majority of use we see on these fields are the soccer groups.
As a parent of multiple children that play soccer for different clubs this will only complicate things more than they already are.
Because of the scarcity of practice fields I currently have two practices at the same time. 1 in Kahului and 1 in Kihei. The county should be making efforts to ease restrictions so our keiki have MORE opportunity.
OPEN MORE PARKS/SCHOOLS FOR USE. How long in good conscience can we neglect the children of our community!
Canon
To whom this may concern,
Please please please do not take away our KCC park. Our keiki’s loves this park and my daughter participates in soccer there. Please consider an option that would benefit the community and Hale Makua. Mahalo Nui for your time!
Aloha,
I have my 2 children in soccer utilizing Kahului Community Park. I also know a lot of people who are in the program; and believe, it is benefiting our community tremendously. I ask that you please consider allowing our keiki to continue to play sports, as we are running out of places to go.
Mahalo for your time,
Calvin B.
Aloha council members,
Thank you for taking the time to read my comments.
We very much appreciate all that Hale Makua does for our elders, but open park space, especially soccer and sports fields are already so scarce. If we do not provide our children with opportunities to exercise and play sports, the overall health and future of our community is at stake. Please, consider at least allowing some space for our Keiki…
Sincerely,
Alisa Baty
We need open park space as there is already limited places for sports.
We have a shortage of fields (especially soccer) and open space for kids to play. Keeping kids active is already difficult in this day and age. Without more parks and more green space for us to take them to sport organizations or just unstructured play we are making it even hard to keep them healthy and active.
Aloha CouncilMembers and Chair Paltin,
As a Mom to 3 keiki who use Kahului Community Park several times a week, I’d like to let you know what a valuable resource this is for the community. From toddlers at the playground, to youth and teens on the soccer field, adult rugby, frisbee players of all ages and the elders that walk and jog the park… it is well used.
It’s very hard to get field space for kids to play sports. Right now, our kids’ club Valley Isle, is looking at playing on asphalt because there are no grassy fields available. My kids might have to take a break from one of the few outdoor sports deemed safe during the pandemic because there is no field space.
Please let the community plan discussions play out before rezoning this park. Maybe a compromise of some of the land going to Hale Makua, and keep the fields, playgrounds, restrooms, frisbee and pool for the general community? We desperately need more open space for everyone!
Mahalo for taking the time to discuss this issue. Wishing you all good health and happy hearts 💕.
Warmly,
Deborah Mader