Ronlynn Arce begins her Sundays at 4:30 a.m. at Mililani Mauka Community Park, long before her children’s flag football games start.
Finding parking there is a challenge, as competition for space is fierce with numerous teams converging on the park every weekend.
Nine years ago, a potential solution seemed to be at hand when Mililani Middle School sought to expand its campus, which included the construction of a parking lot on an acre of the park’s land.
The city gave the green light, stipulating that park users would have access to the new parking lot once it was built.
However, residents express frustration as that promise has not been fulfilled.
Dean Hazama, chair of Mililani Mauka’s neighborhood board, noted that although the school completed its construction in 2022, the parking lot remains inaccessible for neighborhood use.
“It goes against the entire concept of what this was about,” Hazama stated.
Requests for access to the parking lot can be submitted to the school, according to education department spokesperson Derek Inoshita.
Yet, since the start of 2023, Mililani Middle has granted access for less than a dozen formal requests, which Hazama argues is far from the expected outcome.
The parks department had anticipated public access to the school’s parking lot on weekday afternoons and during weekends.
Currently, the state and city are in the process of formalizing an agreement for public access to the lot, though no timeline has been provided for its completion, according to parks department spokesperson Nathan Serota.
The challenge for access to school parking lots mirrors broader issues faced by the community, particularly as demand for public parks has surged in recent years.
Residents are struggling to find adequate spaces for sports practices and recreational activities.
At the same time, schools heavily rely on public parks for various events, including practices and evacuation drills, leading to a conflict of use.
In 2022 alone, the Department of Education organized 560 events on county land.
Consequently, some lawmakers are urging the education department to provide greater access to school facilities for community use.
However, school leaders have raised concerns about safety and liability issues that may arise from increased public access.
Dean Uchida, former DOE Deputy Superintendent, highlighted these security concerns during a recent legislative hearing, citing risks such as vandalism.
The process for accessing DOE facilities involves completing a standardized form, with principals responsible for reviewing and approving requests.
Fees may also apply, depending on the facility requested, which can range significantly; for example, using a parking lot can cost $2, while an air-conditioned auditorium may reach $232.
If custodians are needed, additional overtime charges apply.
Moreover, applicants are mandated to sign an indemnification statement, which releases schools from liability for accidents and injuries, and must carry liability insurance of at least $1 million.
Since January 2023, the education department has reported an average of 338 requests per month for public school facility use.
However, the complicated application process and associated fees can be barriers for many community organizations.
A lawsuit filed last year highlighted discrepancies in how schools handle facility requests.
Some schools granted access to a Christian organization for after-school meetings, while others denied similar requests.
Honolulu City Council Member Esther Kiaʻāina emphasized the necessity for a centralized system that ensures fair and equitable access to school facilities for sports leagues and community organizations.
According to Kailua Neighborhood Board Member Evan Weber, various athletic leagues in Kailua often compete for limited space in public parks.
Opening school campuses for youth sports usage could alleviate some of that pressure, though this would likely necessitate additional funding and resources for maintenance.
If school grounds are to be shared spaces, Weber pondered what the shared responsibility would entail for the community.
In some instances, even affordable fees can deter smaller organizations from booking school facilities.
Frances Sawai, a coordinator for a youth soccer league in Kāneʻohe, recounted applying for school fields, only to find her nonprofit facing costs of approximately $1,600 for a single three-month season.
“That’s not a small amount for us,” Sawai acknowledged, indicating that, as a result, they rely on city parks, which offer no fees, despite such locations having limited capacity to accommodate multiple teams.
Conversely, some groups find it worthwhile to engage with schools despite the challenges.
Notably, eight of Honolulu’s 36 neighborhood boards utilize school facilities for their monthly gatherings, paying between $50 to $150 per night.
Derek Minakami, principal at Kāneʻohe Elementary, reported receiving two to three weekly requests from the public for the use of school fields or cafeterias.
While the school hosts community organizations frequently, smaller schools often struggle to accommodate public requests due to staffing limitations for opening and securing facilities.
“We’re fortunate to have our own field,” Minikami stated, “but it does come with the added responsibility of managing community access.”
Finding a reasonable middle ground remains a persistent challenge.
Last year, the Honolulu City Council passed a resolution urging the parks department to collaborate with the DOE to enhance the availability of school facilities for public recreation.
But clarity on progress has yet to materialize.
High demand for city parks, coupled with requests from DOE sports teams requiring practice spaces, complicates the situation, as expressed by parks department director Laura Thielen during a hearing about the resolution.
Though the DOE permits the city to use its facilities for programs such as Summer Fun, Thielen argued that a stronger partnership is necessary to expand outdoor recreational opportunities through schools, especially during crowded summer months.
Since the passing of the resolution, the parks department has initiated discussions with the DOE regarding potential partnerships, but no new agreements have been established yet.
Kiaʻāina, who sponsored the resolution, voiced her disappointment at the apparent lack of initiatives or enhancements in community access to school facilities post-resolution.
She remarked that the DOE should adopt a more proactive stance in collaborating with the city to offer amenities for youth sports teams, particularly in areas where park space is at a premium.
“I just don’t feel there is an aggressive enough approach, given the demand,” Kiaʻāina stated.
Conversely, Uchida from the DOE defended the existing process, suggesting it provides adequate opportunities for community access as long as groups follow the necessary procedures.
He argued that standardized forms protect schools from liability concerns.
Kenneth Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, noted the difficulty of balancing community desires for increased access with the necessity of maintaining school security.
While schools aim to foster community engagement and pride through hosting public events, Trump warned that increased activities on campuses could elevate security risks if not carefully monitored.
Potential risks could include unsupervised participants who may pose operational challenges.
For these reasons, he remarked that the Hawaiian education department has implemented many best practices in managing public access to school facilities.
“It’s not always an equal tradeoff,” Trump concluded.
In a renewed effort, state lawmakers proposed a resolution earlier this year that would require the DOE to allow unrestricted public use of recreational facilities beyond school hours.
Rep. Trish La Chica, who introduced this resolution, expressed hope that Hawaii could model joint-use agreements similar to initiatives successfully adopted by some schools on the mainland.
In specific cases like the San Diego Unified School District, schools have opened up their fields to community members during off-school hours or weekends, with the city contributing for maintenance.
Nonetheless, the recent Hawaii resolution did not pass after the DOE reiterated that its current processes for public requests are already in place.
The department expressed that easing access restrictions could lead to increased risks of vandalism and security threats.
Concerns from the Attorney General’s office echoed these sentiments, warning that unfettered access could expose the DOE to potential liabilities stemming from injuries or incidents occurring outside school hours.
According to the Attorney General’s explanation: “Without legal safeguards, these liability and cost issues may make the actions called for by the resolutions a significant risk for legal and financial liability accruing to the State.”
Despite the DOE’s viewpoint that its protocols suffice, La Chica emphasized the need to maximize the community’s benefit from state-funded school facilities.
In light of the Mililani Middle School parking situation, she insisted that the education department must uphold its past agreements.
“If that was part of the agreement,” La Chica stated, “it should have been executed already.”
Civil Beat’s education reporting receives support from a grant from Chamberlin Family Philanthropy.
image source from：https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/04/hawai%CA%BBis-parks-are-strained-should-doe-open-campuses-to-help/
