Privatizing gardens proposed

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

Saying that it would save taxpayers money and improve services, City Councilman Charles Djou wants management of the city's five botanical gardens turned over to a private nonprofit group.

Kapok and Trincomali trees stand tall at Foster Botanical Garden. There is a resolution to privatize the city's five botanical gardens. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

The resolution will come before the full council April 6 and, if passed, move to the administration for implementation.

"The city is broke," Djou told Friends membership at Foster Botanical Garden yesterday. "We need to find the means for reducing our expenditures. Partnering with nonprofits to provide a city service has made a lot of sense in a lot of other municipal jurisdictions to save money."

Djou, chairman of the Parks Committee, said the resolution does not carry the weight of law, but it tells Mayor Mufi Hannemann that the council would like the administration to move in that direction.

Paul Weissich, president of the Friends group, said dozens of other cities —Êincluding New York, Miami and Denver — have reached the same conclusion and have formed public-private partnerships to manage their botanical gardens. "It has been tremendously successful," Weissich said. "It could improve staff relationships and our ability to attract grants."

Weissich said donors are hesitant to give money to a city park because it can be usurped for any city functions. But by giving to a private nonprofit, donations can be designated for specific projects or toward endowment funds.

"It would increase our ability to attract grants and donations by far," he said.

The city has five botanical gardens: Foster, Lili'uokalani, Koko Crater, Wahiawa and Ho'omaluhia, which represent four different ecological settings covering 650 acres.

The 800-member Friends group has been assisting the botanical gardens for 44 years, and Djou said they are the likely nonprofit to take over management.

Operations and maintenance are now under the city Parks Department's Urban Forestry Program with a budget of $5.7 million in fiscal year 2005. The gardens have more than 238,000 trees, 164 designated as exceptional. More than 150,000 people a year visit the gardens.

Djou said potentially millions of dollars could saved by the city, and the parks themselves would be in better hands.

"They really, truly are committed to making the botanical gardens all they can be," he said. "Often by transferring the management to a nonprofit you can get better services at less cost."

Djou said the city's bus system operates under a similar public-private system as well as the Brunch on the Beach. He said the zoo would be another candidate for this type of management.

"For the taxpayers who never visit any of the botanical gardens, it's potentially a cost savings," he said. "For those that do visit, they will see an increase in service and a better quality experience at the botanical gardens."

Dana Takahara-Dias, deputy director of the Parks Department, said the city is open-minded about the issue and will look into the partnership if the resolution is passed.

Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.

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