Kamehameha's cultural education complex, Kahalu‘u Ma Kai, will be built on the former Keauhou Beach Resort site. It will offer a wealth of learning experiences deeply rooted in the Hawaiian culture and will compliment existing KS educational programs offered in the region.
The Hawai‘i County Leeward Planning Commission (LPC) today approved Kamehameha Schools’ Special Management Area Use (SMA) Permit application allowing the Schools to remove the former Keauhou Beach Hotel and develop a 21st-century, innovative hub for intellectual experiences at its property at Kahalu‘u Ma Kai.
“This is meant to be a classroom for learners and teachers of all ages and backgrounds,” said Kā‘eo Duarte, VP of Kamehameha’s Community Engagement and Resources Group.
More than 2,400 learners throughout Hawai‘i annually use Kahalu‘u Ma Kai as an outdoor educational classroom – from Kaua‘i to East Hawai‘i.
“This project aligns with Kamehameha’s new strategic plan, Kū Hanauna. One of the primary goals in our new plan is to work with a network of schools and educational institutions,” Duarte said.
This includes working with an extensive list of educational entities – Hawai‘i’s Department of Education, the University of Hawai‘i system, various charter schools, as well as native Hawaiian learners beyond the three Kamehameha Schools campuses.
The approval process was not a smooth path for the Schools. At the project’s first LPC hearing held in September, two testifiers requested an increase in shoreline public access to allow visitors free access to the cultural resources on site. Countering that perspective today, many of the nearly 40 supporters testified that full public access to cultural sites was disrespectful to the significance of the sites and threatened the safety of young learners.
Kamehameha’s plan enhances current-day shoreline access with a proposed coastal access plan that features a pathway for the general public that leads to the beach at Makole‘ā Cove, located on the south end of the Kahalu‘u Ma Kai property. That proposed plan is part of Kamehameha’s SMA permit application.
“We want this to be a place that we’re all proud of – that Kamehameha Schools is proud of, the Hawaiian community is proud of, and that the county of Hawai‘i is proud of. We want this to be a place where people are welcome,” Duarte said.
Kamehameha Schools’ policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law.
