At the makai end of the Hawaii Kai Park & Ride, at 333 Keahole Street, there is about 1.65 acres of grass with shade trees, seating, water spigots and waste-bag dispensers. It is the Elaine Dobashi Hawaii Kai Dog Park, a City and County of Honolulu off-leash park. For most of the neighborhood, it has been the clearest answer to where a dog is allowed to run.
That could change soon. The Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board's September 29, 2026 agenda included a request from the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to make six more Hawaii Kai parks on-leash dog parks. The list covers both valley parks and the bayfront. If it moves forward, it would bring legal leashed walks from one destination lot to parks much closer to many residents' homes.
A Park That Took Five Years of Fundraising
The Keahole Street park started as a community effort. In 2006, Hawaii News Now reported that Elaine Dobashi, president of Hui Ilio Hawaii, was raising money for a proposed Hawaii Kai dog park. Preliminary engineering, landscaping and survey work had been donated. KHON later reported that Dobashi began pushing for the park in 2003 and that it opened in 2008. The Honolulu City Council voted unanimously to rename the park in her honor.
That five-year span from first advocacy to opening explains the current situation. A dedicated off-leash park needs land, fencing, water and someone to champion it. It also needs volunteers afterward. The Hawaiian Humane Society says off-leash parks are generally maintained by volunteers and asks visitors to bring their own waste bags. On-leash designation works differently. Honolulu Revised Ordinances §10-1.7 lets the DPR Director designate on-leash areas and off-leash parks and requires public signage. Designating an existing park takes a decision and signs, not a new construction project.
Two Kinds of Dog Park, Two Sets of Rules
Some of the confusion around park dog rules comes from the fact that "dog park" covers two different setups. The proposal now before the Hawaii Kai board is for on-leash parks. The Dobashi park is off-leash.
| Off-leash: Elaine Dobashi Hawaii Kai Dog Park | On-leash designated parks | |
|---|---|---|
| Leash | Required while entering and exiting | Required throughout, no longer than 8 feet |
| Handler | No more than two dogs per handler, dogs under voice control and supervised | Handler at least 18 years old |
| License | Current Hawaii dog license tag | Current license tag |
| Cleanup | Pick up waste | Carry waste-removal equipment and clean up |
| Other limits | No dogs in heat, no food, no unattended dogs | Park closure hours follow posted signs |
The off-leash rules in that column come from a City rules document linked from DPR's dog parks page. Those rules were last amended in 2014, so the signs posted at the gate are the current authority. Hours also depend on which source you check. The Hawaiian Humane Society lists the Keahole Street park as open daily from dawn to dusk, except Tuesdays from 7 a.m. to noon for mowing and maintenance. DPR's park closure listing, updated in September 2026, shows the park closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The Tuesday morning window is the one most likely to catch someone out.
The ordinance also includes a beach detail that applies directly to two of the proposed parks. A dog handler who is following the rules may cross a beach park by the most direct route to the shoreline, even during closure hours. Joe Lukela Beach Park and Maunalua Bay Beach Park are both on DPR's Hawaii Kai list.
The Citywide Expansion Behind the Hawaii Kai Request
The Hawaii Kai item is part of a larger effort. In April 2025, DPR announced an islandwide push to make City parks more dog-friendly and asked Neighborhood Boards for formal input. On February 25, 2026, the department announced 36 new on-leash parks. That doubled the 36 already in place, using parks where the 15 Neighborhood Boards that responded agreed with DPR's review.
Nate Serota leads the effort for DPR. He framed the starting point this way: "For years the number of legal spaces where dog kahu (guardians) could enjoy time with their canine companions has been limited to less than 15% of City parks." He also said DPR plans to go back to communities that did not send input, with a goal of making at least a third of the parks in those neighborhoods welcoming to dog kahu by the end of 2026. The September 29 Hawaii Kai agenda item shows that work reaching this neighborhood.
The expansion also comes with practical support. DPR is testing new signs and dog-waste-bag dispensers at a few parks. The closest test site to Hawaii Kai is Waiʻalae Iki Neighborhood Park. DPR Director Laura H. Thielen said the department is "very mindful of the concerns raised by those hesitant to expand dog privileges into more of our parks." She added that DPR will review how well these resources work as it expands to more communities.
As of DPR's current list, the District 1 on-leash parks, which run from Ka Iwi to Waikīkī, include Kamilo Iki Neighborhood Park and Sandy Beach Park. The list also includes Kalo Place Mini Park, Waiʻalae Iki Neighborhood Park and Wailupe Valley Neighborhood Park, among others.
The Six Parks on the Board's Agenda
DPR's request to the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board covers these parks:
- Koko Head Neighborhood Park
- Kalama Valley Community Park
- Hahaʻione Neighborhood Park
- Hahaʻione Valley Neighborhood Park
- Joe Lukela Beach Park
- Maunalua Bay Beach Park
These are neighborhood parks in the valleys and along the bay. If designated, they would allow dogs on a leash of eight feet or less at parks many residents already pass every day. None of them would become off-leash.
As of October 7, 2026, the outcome is still pending. The September 29 agenda listed the item for discussion and action. No vote, resolution or deferral has been posted yet, and the City publishes outcomes only when it posts minutes or a written summary. Under §10-1.7, the final designation is made by the DPR Director, not by the board. The board's role in this process has been to give community feedback, which is how the February list was put together.
The next chance to weigh in also has a date conflict. The City's events calendar lists a Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board meeting on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Hahaʻione Elementary School Cafeteria, 595 Pepeʻekeo St. The closing announcement on the September agenda gives the next regular meeting as Tuesday, November 24, 2026, at 7 p.m. in the same cafeteria and on Webex. Check with the board before planning around either date. Regular meetings are also cablecast on Olelo Channel 49 on the second Monday of the following month at 9 p.m., with a repeat at 7 a.m. on that month's third Friday.
Saturday Mornings on Keahole Street
Until the board and DPR act, Keahole Street is still the main place for dogs to run in Hawaii Kai. On Saturdays it offers more than the dog park. Pacific Business News reported in June 2026 on the opening of the ABL Collective farmers market at Hawaii Kai Shopping Center, which features small-scale organic farmers and food trucks. The ABL Collective lists the market near Hana Sushi, Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. The shopping center is at 377 Keahole St., a short walk from the dog park at 333.
Because the Dobashi park's maintenance closure falls on Tuesday mornings, Saturday mornings are not affected. Dogs need a leash when entering and leaving the off-leash park, and the market is a public shopping center lot, so keep the leash on between the two. For more on how the neighborhood's daily routines have shifted this year, see our look at how the seawall project changed the marina weekend and our Hawaii Kai neighborhood guide.
If you live near Hahaʻione, Kalama Valley or the bay, a decision on these six parks could change which parks your dog can use. It could also change what nearby buyers ask about. Beth Chang is happy to talk through what's happening on your street, now or once DPR announces its decision. Let's Connect.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
