Restored & ready: CORP temporary debris site reopens for public use

HONOLULU — The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services (ENV) and Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) celebrated the full reopening of Patsy T. Mink Central Oʻahu Regional Park (CORP) today, September 3, 2026, marking the completion of restoration work at the site used for temporary debris management following this year’s Kona Low storms.  

“I am incredibly proud of our teams from ENV and DPR and their rapid respond on behalf of the Waialua community following the devastating Kona low storm,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “Not only did our City crews and private contractors take care of our residents in their time of need, they did an outstanding job caring for our field at the beloved Patsy T. Mink Central Oʻahu Regional Park. We thank our friends and families in Waipi‘o for their patience and understanding during this difficult time. Reopening this field today is a tremendous success story and milestone for everyone on our island.”  

ENV Director Roger Babcock joined DPR staff and State Senator Danielle Bass at the former debris site, located near the corner of Kamehameha Highway and Ka Uka Boulevard, to mark the occasion and thank the community for its patience during the restoration process. To show the grounds were once again safe for passive recreational use, the attendees enjoyed time passing footballs, volleyballs, and soccer on the refurbished turf.    

“Our priority, from day one, was to return this park to the public better than it was before and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” ENV Director Roger Babcock said. “We’re happy to be here today and grateful for the community’s patience along the way.”  

A portion of the park was designated as a temporary debris storage site under emergency proclamations following flooding that impacted Oʻahu in March 2026. This designation was in line with the City’s Disaster Debris Management and Operation Plan, published in April 2025. Over 18 days, roughly 3,000 tons of storm debris was deposited at the park site where it was sorted and transported to Waimānalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill and various recyclers.  

“The damage from the back-to-back Kona Low storms in Spring 2026 was devastating to so many of our neighbors,” said Nate Serota with DPR. “Much of the debris it generated were the remnants of people’s homes and personal property. Providing this location to help remove that material more quickly was CORP’s way of helping in the recovery and healing process. The passive park field used to temporarily house the debris is not normally permitted for recreational activity, and provided emergency crews a way to efficiently process thousands of tons of debris from the hardest hit areas, mainly the North Shore. We certainly hope we never need to use park areas for temporary debris storage again, but as one island, one O‘ahu, when our neighbors and community ask for kōkua we answer that call.”

The City applied environmental protections throughout the operation including filter socks to prevent runoff, temporary dust fencing and 24/7 monitoring.  

An independent lab tested the soil before and after cleanup and found no harmful contaminants, meeting all Department of Health requirements. Crews then graded the site with clean soil, repaired the irrigation system and reseeded the area with grass. A website dedicated to the temporary debris site, with more information about testing results, is available at: honolulu.gov/env/TDSR  

“After the Kona Lows, I immediately heard from Mililani, Waipiʻo, and Waikele residents concerned about debris being stored at Central Oʻahu Regional Park,” said State Senator Danielle Bass, who represents the area. “We raised those concerns directly with the city and pushed for full restoration. Mahalo to the City for listening, taking action, and ensuring this important community park is restored and protected for the many Central Oʻahu families who use it.”

With the removal of the temporary fencing the full park area is now safe and open for public use. Mahalo again to the Waipi‘o and Central O‘ahu communities for their patience and understanding during this whole, roughly six-month process.