On Wednesday, Windward Oahu got its first off-leash dog park at the island’s newest City park: Kahua O Waikalua Neighborhood Park in Kaneohe.
Located at the makai-end of Kulauli Street, the 3-acre park sits between Bay View Golf Course and the Kaneohe Pre-Treatment Facility.
The new park contains an off-leash dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs, a bathroom building, large shade trees, picnic tables, benches, human and pet drinking foundations, and parking for vehicles, bicycles, and mopeds.
The park will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the dog park closed on Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. for maintenance.
The dog park was made possible by the work of the Windward Dog Park Hui, Bay View Golf Course, the area’s City Councilmember Esther Kia‘āina, and several City and County of Honolulu agencies, including the Department of Environmental Services who transferred the land to the Department of Parks and Recreation.
“Kahua O Waikalua Dog Park is Windward Oahu’s very first off-leash dog park, and a long-awaited addition to our community,” said City Councilmember Esther Kia‘āina in a statement. “It provides a safe, dedicated space for dogs to run, play, and socialize, while giving pet owners a place to connect, build relationships, and foster a stronger sense of community.”
The Windward Dog Park Hui, a nonprofit formed in 2015, advocated for years for the new City park and its off-leash dog park. Bay View Golf Course supported the creation of the park by realigning their adjacent 7th hole to minimize errant golf balls and providing public access into the park via their course. Kia‘āina appropriated $250,000 from the City budget for the park. DPR staff made improvements to the park by putting up fencing, renovating the bathroom building, installing irrigation and pruning the trees.
This is the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation’s 10th off-leash dog park.