"We look forward to caring for this space, expanding access, and keeping it a place where families, keiki, and kūpuna can connect for years to come." Manu Anana, president of the Waialua Community Association, said that in Dole's May 11, 2026 announcement that Dole Food Company Hawaiʻi had given Puʻuiki Park to the association.
Five months later, that access has started. Puʻuiki is 9.5 oceanside acres on Waialua Beach Road. For now it works as a campground with one rentable pavilion, and the rest of the park waits on repairs and a master plan that hasn't been drafted yet. The next decisions about the park belong to a community association that has asked Waialua for help.
A Company Park Becomes a Community One
For most of its history, Puʻuiki belonged to the plantation economy. Dole describes it as a company-owned asset "long reserved for Dole employees and retirees of Dole and Waialua Sugar Company." The grounds include pavilions, sports fields, camping areas and a historic baseball diamond. Waialua Little League, which Dole calls the oldest chartered Little League in Hawaiʻi, already plays there.
The new owner has a long history of its own. The Waialua Community Association was founded in 1934, and Dole's release calls it the oldest community association in Hawaiʻi. Its office is in the Historic Haleiwa Gym at 66-434 Kamehameha Highway. Under the arrangement, Dole employees and retirees are still welcome, and the park is meant to serve as a public space for the Waialua community.
Two weeks after the release, Dole Hawaiʻi general manager Dan Nellis and Anana presented the gift to residents at the North Shore Neighborhood Board's May 26 meeting. They said the first phase would focus on stabilizing the park and making it safe and accessible for public use, and they invited volunteers to contact the association office.
What the March Storms Left Behind
The handover came right after the Kona Low storms, and the timing shaped the work. The association says those storms contaminated the water system serving the park and left it without water for several weeks. That's why Phase 1 includes connecting the park to the Board of Water Supply, along with removing ironwood trees judged dangerous to park users.
Some money has arrived. The association's Puʻuiki page reports a $100,000 State of Hawaiʻi Grant-in-Aid for the park. The money is for hazardous tree removal, pavilion and facility repairs, restroom and plumbing repairs, accessibility and safety improvements, perimeter fencing, grounds-maintenance equipment and supplies. The association calls the grant "an important step forward." It also says caring for roughly 9.5 acres of coastal property is a long-term responsibility that will take continued investment, volunteers and community support. It still has to keep its historic community hub running as well.
So $100,000 has to cover a whole list of repairs on 9.5 acres. That gap explains how the park looks this fall.
What You Can Book Right Now
The association's rental portal is clear about the current state of things. Because of ongoing repairs, "our standard pavilions are temporarily closed, meaning only the campsites and the Ka'ala Donkey Barn are currently available for rent."
Here's what the association's paper forms list:
- Campsites: 12 numbered sites, with some along Waialua Beach Road and some closest to the shoreline. The introductory rate is $100 per night per site through December 31, 2026, paid in full in advance, plus a $100 refundable security deposit. Check-in is 7:00 a.m. and check-out is 11:00 a.m. on the last day.
- Kaʻala "Donkey Barn": $350 for use from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a $100 refundable deposit. The form requires general event insurance, plus a portable toilet if the event exceeds 50 users.
- Kukui and ʻIwa pavilions: both marked "CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE." The ʻIwa pavilion sits at the shoreline.
The booking order matters. You don't pay first. The association confirms the date and your eligibility by phone or email, and only then do you pay. The camping form says, "Do not pay until you receive confirmation from the WCA office." The forms ask whether the applicant is a WCA member, a Dole employee or a retiree. Before you plan a date, ask the office how that status affects your booking.
A post publishing October 22 leaves about ten weeks before the introductory camping rate expires. The association hasn't published a rate for 2027.
A Campsite With No Utilities
For anyone used to county beach park camping, the site conditions in the camping agreement are the surprise. The renter accepts that the park has no electrical grid, so campers bring their own generator or solar setup. The agreement also states:
- There is no drinking water on site.
- The well water pumped to the park is unsafe for drinking or cooking.
- Restrooms are limited to the Kukui Pavilion, and showers are water hoses that drain directly into the ground. Campers are strongly encouraged to use only earth-friendly, biodegradable products.
- Camping stays within designated 40-by-40-foot plots, and common areas stay open.
- The person who signs the agreement must stay on site for the whole permitted use.
Both rental agreements also state that they grant no beach or shoreline access. So the oceanfront that makes Puʻuiki special isn't part of what a camping or pavilion rental includes.
The association's separate Camper Code of Conduct differs from the agreement in a few places. It describes 30-by-30-foot plots, says campers must bring portable toilets and fresh water, and sets a maximum of 10 people per site and five consecutive days. Meanwhile, the agreement puts restrooms at Kukui, which the pavilion form lists as unavailable. Until the documents match, the practical move is to call the office at 808-637-4606 before you pack. The office takes calls between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Read the deposit, insurance and conduct terms in full before you sign. This post is general information, not legal or financial advice, so check anything specific to your own booking with the association or the right professional.
The Part Nobody Has Drawn Yet
The park's long-term future is still open. The association says that "in the months ahead" it will develop a master plan for Puʻuiki "to create a warm, safe and inviting place for community users," and that it welcomes community input and will reach out in the near future. Everything listed above is a stopgap until that plan exists.
That's why the volunteer and membership options matter more than they usually would. Residents can help shape the park before the plan is written:
- Volunteer. The association's sign-up form, revised August 2026, asks for general and event help along with skilled trades. A park facing plumbing, restroom, fencing and accessibility repairs needs trade skills.
- Join. The 2026 membership application lists an individual membership at $25 a year, which includes a vote at the annual membership meeting. Nonprofit membership is $150 a year, business membership is $250 a year, and a lifetime membership is a one-time $500.
- Get in touch. The association plans community outreach for the master plan. It invites help by phone at 808-637-4606 or by email at [email protected].
Waialua Little League's season on the historic diamond doesn't depend on the master plan. The rest of the park's 9.5 acres, including the closed pavilions, the shoreline sites and the open fields, will take the shape the plan gives them.
Part of what we do at NS Luxury Living is keep track of places like Puʻuiki as they reopen, from the first campsite bookings to the master plan meetings still ahead. If you live on the North Shore and want to know when the association opens the plan to community input, schedule a private consultation and we'll let you know.
