New playground at Nehu Neighborhood Park designed with community input

Construction utilizing streamlined contract and design system to assist with further playground development

Utilizing a revamped system of contracting and designing playgrounds in your City parks, City and County of Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Council Chair Tommy Waters, and the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) are proud to announce the construction of a new play area at Nehu Neighborhood Park is beginning the week of May 11, 2026.

As part of this improved system, input from members of the ‘Āina Haina community influenced the playground’s features while incorporating unique designs from the project’s contractor, Inspired Play Hawai‘i.

“An important part of the City’s kuleana in creating vibrant and livable communities across Oʻahu is investing in safe and welcoming parks for our families to enjoy,” said Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters. “Several years ago, the ‘Āina Haina community came to me with their concerns about the neglected and unsafe playground equipment at the highly popular Nehu Neighborhood Park. We took those concerns seriously, engaged the community throughout the entire planning process – especially our parents – and worked closely with the Department of Parks and Recreation to develop a practical, multigenerational space that reflects the needs and priorities of the neighborhood. I am grateful to the ‘Āina Haina community and our DPR partners for helping bring this special new play area to life, including the long-awaited restoration of a double swing set, for generations of families to enjoy.”

The new play area at Nehu Neighborhood Park will include:

• A playground with two slides
• A double swing set
• A 40’ x 40’ resilient surfacing play area (the bouncy floor)
• Benches and seating area
• Educational signage 
• Accessible features and pathway
• Loads of other fun and engaging playground elements!

Accentuating these play features, the theme of the entire play area draws inspiration from the Native Hawaiian ahupua‘a system of land management; specifically the loko i‘a or Hawaiian fishponds. This includes shoreline imagery, with local marine and plant life (such as honu and niu) represented throughout the play area.  The look of the playground, as well as its function, aim to honor the islands’ native cultural identity and help create a sense of place for keiki and park users.

In addition to the play area’s unique design, this project represents the first in a series of streamlined and inclusive City park construction projects aimed at building new or reconstructing old park playgrounds at locations around O‘ahu.  

“We are very excited to embark on this new way of delivering playgrounds and priceless park memories to the keiki in our growing communities,” said DPR Director Laura H. Thielen. “Our plan is to use the methods from the development of this Nehu play area to create playground opportunities unique to specific park locations. Including at Kaupuni Neighborhood Park in Mākaha, and Sheridan Community Park in the Ala Moana area. The latter of which will offset the loss of the vandalized playground, which was removed after an arsonist torched it last summer.”

The construction of this new play area in Nehu Neighborhood Park is expected to be finished, and ready for keiki fun, in Fall 2026.

This new play area will house DPR’s 136^th playground and 13^th swing set. For more information on the locations of City park playgrounds, fitness stations, and gymnasiums please visit the department’s interactive Google map at: bit.ly/OahuPlaygrounds

About the Contractor

The nearly $394,000 contract for the construction and design of this new play area was awarded to Inspired Play Hawai‘i.

Along with contributing the unique design of this play area, Inspired Play Hawai‘i is previously known for adding culturally significant elements to playgrounds around O‘ahu and working philanthropically to benefit City parks. This included the donation of $52,500 worth of materials and labor to rebuild the torched playground at George F. Wright Wahiawā District Park in Summer 2025.

 If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov at least three business days before the scheduled event. Without sufficient advanced notice, it may not be possible to fulfill requests.

—PAU—

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Website: honolulu.gov/parks