Proposed renovations to Thomas Square, a popular dog event venue in Honolulu, and their impact on current park users will be on the agenda for discussion at three upcoming public meetings:
- Park Permittee Public Meeting—Monday, May 23, 2016, 5:30-7:30 pm, Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall – Kauai Room (enter from the Galleria 2nd Floor), 777 Ward Ave, Honolulu, HI 96814.
- Condominium Public Meeting—Friday, May 27, 2016, 5:30-7:30 pm, Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall – Hawaii Suites.
- Public Meeting—Tuesday, May 31, 2016, 5:30-7:30 pm, Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall – Hawaii Suites.
Background:
Effective March 1, 2016, all event permit holders (including non-canine events) were notified that Thomas Square would be unavailable to hold events. Rumors of renovations are circulating; however specifics on the plan and the future of dog events at this venue are not known.
Although Thomas Square falls under the Makiki Neighborhood Board’s jurisdiction, Thomas Square’s users come from all over the island and the state, as its central location and open green space make it a popular venue for a wide variety of events. For this reason, the Honolulu City Council is opening up discussion of proposed changes to the general public.
What You Can Do:
Attend the three public meetings that provide opportunity for comment, discussion, and feedback. As a participant in dog events at this location, this is your opportunity to be heard! (See meeting details above.)
If you cannot attend, please write to Honolulu Council Members Carol Fukunaga and Ann Kobayashi, and copy your own City Council Member on the email. Council Members tend to be more attentive to concerns of their own constituents.
For City Council members’ contact information, go to: http://www.honolulu.gov/component/content/article/172-site-ccl-cat/1740-ccl-view-council-members.html?Itemid=597#write.
Obedience Training Club of Hawaii board members Chris Inouye and Mitch Iwanaga are credited for bringing this issue to the dog public’s attention.
For more information, contact Lynn Muramaru of the Pacific Pet Alliance at (808) 542-9581 or via email at pacificpetalliance@gmail.com; or AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720 or via email at doglaw@akc.org.
Effective March 1, 2016, all event permit holders (including non-canine events) were notified that Thomas Square would be unavailable to hold events. Rumors of renovations are circulating; however specifics on the plan and the future of dog events at this venue are not known.