By James Gonser
Advertiser Central Bureau
‘EWA — It’s been only four years since Child and Family Service opened its ‘Ewa campus, but need already has outstripped capacity, and the nonprofit human services group wants to expand to serve more people.
The organization, offering everything from health education to counseling and adoption assistance, plans a $2.5 million expansion on 2.2 acres adjacent to its campus.
"Over the past three years we have doubled in size and revenue," said Gratia Bone, the group’s director of public affairs and development. "There is a lot of need out there for the kinds of services we provide. The community center is used all the time, not just by us but by community groups which hold meetings and classes there. There is enough demand to fill another entire building."
The ‘Ewa Neighborhood Board approved the plan recently, but noted its concern over traffic congestion and the potential for accidents on Fort Weaver Road.
"We voted to support their expansion, but have concerns they need a better way to get people across the highway," said neighborhood board chairwoman Mary Miyashiro. "Right now the road is four lanes and will be increased to six lanes. It’s an excellent project. The main thing is they will not request a traffic light there."
Miyashiro noted that when the group first came into the area it assured the board that the facility would never become so big it would need an additional traffic light on Fort Weaver Road.
Child and Family Service’s $11 million center was built on a 5.5-acre site of the former Ewa Plantation Co. hospital.
The campus includes a child-care center operated by Kama‘aina Care, meeting rooms available for service clubs and community groups and a courtyard play area. Other services include health education and screening, workplace services, child adoption assistance and counseling for families and sexual abuse victims.
Hale O Ulu, an alternative high school that targets at-risk youth ages 12 to 18, also operates at the facility.
Child and Family Service has more than 26 program sites across the state and operates with a volunteer corporate board of directors with an estimated budget of $24 million for fiscal year 2001.
The planned expansion will include a large community center with a commercial kitchen and room for public events, and a community service center with offices and group counseling areas. Additional parking also is planned. Construction is expected to begin within five years.
An estimated 250 to 275 employees and 200 visitors use the campus daily.
Usage will increase to 300 to 325 employees and 300 daily visitors after the expansion, according to the group. Half the land will be set aside for future expansion needs.
A $2,000 grant was awarded to the ‘Ewa Pedestrian Coalition in October to address safety concerns at the crosswalk at Child and Family Service and the surrounding area along Fort Weaver Road. The money is from the Federal Highway Traffic Safety Grants, a program administered by state transportation officials.
Bone said results of a private traffic engineering study will be presented to the neighborhood board.
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