3 churches to help develop campsite

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

103-acre camp is used for spiritual, intellectual and emotional retreats by church members and the public.

The plan developed by the board of directors for camp Lani Kamaha'o, or heavenly transformation, calls for a five-year development approach that includes a pavilion-style kitchen and meeting facility, cabins and tent platforms, said Wayne Muraoka, board president.

The churches, United Church of Christ on Judd Street, Nuuanu Congregational Church and Community Church of Honolulu, are partnering with Lani Kamaha'o to build the first structure, Muraoka said.

But the plan is conceptual and may vary as the churches meet with the community and neighbors to discuss the ideas and purposes of the camp, he said.

"We are hoping to build improvements that are consistent with the nature of the environment, tied to sound ecological principles and land stewardship principles," he said.

The property, off Hala'i and Hau'ula Homestead roads, includes ridges and a valley at the foot of the Ko'olau Range.

A rustic camp with tent platforms, composting toilets and old buildings provides a setting for programs by Lani Kamaha'o, a nonprofit organization under the United Church of Christ Hawaii Conference, Muraoka said.

The site also has a ropes course, a challenge wall, hiking trails and volleyball area.

Under the plan, the upper area would have more natural campsites, whereas the lower area might have cabins for the elderly, he said.

Another idea is to clear non-native trees from the area and plant native trees, Muraoka said.

Members of the churches took their proposal to the Hau'ula Community Association earlier this month and will also give a presentation to the Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board. There is also a plan to set up a meeting with its neighbors in Hau'ula.

The project needs a conditional use permit, which requires the developer to explain the project to neighboring residents.

The programs that will be offered won't be much different than they are now, and the number of people at the campsite won't increase dramatically, Muraoka said.

The area, which was purchased by the United Church of Christ Hawaii Conference Foundation in the mid-1960s, was always meant to be a campground, but not much had been done and at one time the property was sold, said Grant Lee, with the Oahu Association of the Hawaii Conference, United Church of Christ.

In the mid-1990s the church got the property back, but it was a mess, filled with trash, stripped cars and squatters, Lee said.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.