Waimanalo Board calls for closure of camp
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
WAIMANALO — The Waimanalo Neighbor Board is calling for the closure of a popular camping site for three months to clear the area of what the board members say are illegal campers who cause problems for nearby residents.
The illegal campers pitch their tents outside the established campground at Waimanalo Beach Park, get into fights, ignite fireworks and raise concerns about sanitary conditions with no toilets or showers nearby, said Waimanalo Neighborhood Board chairman Wilson Ho.
But some campers who say they have proper permits to stay at the site contend the latest move is another attempt to harass them. The campers contend that they shouldn't be stereotyped as trouble-making drug addicts and ousted along with the illegal campers who cause the problems.
The city issues free permits for the camp site two weeks in advance that allow people to stay for five days. The capacity of the area is 44 tents and 220 people. The area is booked for this weekend. On Wednesdays and Thursdays the site is vacated for cleaning.
Police check for permits, patrol the area and respond to complaints, said Lt. Andrew Speese, with the Kailua Police Station. But checking whether the campers have permits is a low priority, Speese said.
"The priority is always respond to complaints, especially physical complaints that have the potential for physical harm," he said, adding that the beat officers also respond when park officials call about people who stay longer than permitted.
Speese said he knows of one complaint within the last two weeks.
But Ho complained that even some of the legitimate users have set up households at the beach.
"We want to clean up the whole beach," Ho said. "Get everybody out and start from scratch."
Ho said people have complained in the past, but illegal campers are still there and it seems useless to keep calling if the police won't enforce the law. The board will ask the city to close the park when there are fewer campers in September, he said.
Campers with permits complained that the proposal would punish them for the troubles that others have caused. They say they keep their camp sites clean, including the bathrooms.
"The neighborhood board, the community association, they making like everybody who lives on the beach are criminals, drug addicts and we're not," said Frankie Vaughn, who has lived on the beach for two years and has to get a new permit every week. "We just don't have a house."
Lavina Aina, a 47-year-old camper, said illegal users are causing trouble for people like herself who abide by the rules. They park illegally and leave their belongings, trying to hide them from park workers, Aina said. If park employees find the household goods they throw them away.
"People camping outside the grounds are not from Waimanalo," she said. "We tell them knock down their tents, but they no listen."
Vaughn said she is aware of the criminal activities there and sees people coming to the park to do drugs or rip off cars. She gives police information when she can, but too often police look at the campers as the criminals, she said.
Vaughn said instead of shutting down the park, the board members should meet with the campers.
"How come nobody ever came here and talked to us, asked us how we feel and what's really going on?" she asked.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
