Fun, safe and inexpensive activities to enjoy with grandchildren | News, Sports, Jobs

Publish date: 2024-05-02

With the school year right around the corner, many grandparents are wrapping up summer fun with their grandchildren.

Whether grandparents are raising their grandchildren full time or helping with child care responsibilities during the workday, many have asked for ideas for fun, safe and inexpensive activities.

In a recent conversations with a Maui County Parks and Recreation staff members, they said that many county residents are unaware of all the programs and resources available through Parks and Recreation. And because the resources are accessible throughout the county, we decided to give a snapshot of some of these resources.

Aquatics Division

All public pools are free and available seven days a week except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Pool locations and descriptions:

• Coach Soichi Sakamoto Pool in Wailuku next to War Memorial Stadium and Gymnasium includes an eight-lane, 50-meter pool and diving boards.

• Coach Spencer Shiraishi Memorial Pool in Kahului next to the Salvation Army includes a six-lane, 25-yard indoor pool for lap swimming and water aerobics.

• Cooke Memorial Pool in Kaunakakai near the ballfields provides ADA accessibility and includes a six-lane, 25-meter pool for lap swimming, water aerobic and more.

• Kihei Aquatic Center on Lipoa Street near Kihei Elementary School provides ADA accessibility and includes an eight-lane, 50-by-25-meter competition pool, warmup pool, keiki pool and water feature, multiple springboards and meeting rooms for a variety of types of swimming activities and events.

• Kokua Pool below the Kahului Community Center is a 10-lane, 25-yard shallow lap pool.

• Lahaina Aquatic Center includes an eight-lane, 50-meter-by-25-yard competition pool, a keiki pool and water feature, meeting locations for swimming, water polo and water aerobics.

• Upcountry Pool next to the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani provides ADA accessibility and includes a six-lane, 50-meter pool, a teaching pool and a keiki pool for lap swimming, swim and water polo teams and water aerobics.

• Wailuku Pool (new) at the corner of Market and Wells streets in Wailuku provides ADA accessibility and includes two pools. It is kept warmer as a “therapeutic pool.”

• Wailuku Pool (old) at the corner of Market and Wells streets across from Iao School includes a three-lane, 25-yard pool for swimming.

For specific hours of operation of each pool, call 270-8208 as the information is updated by 9 a.m. each day.

Learn to Swim takes place several times a year and the current registration period began on July 9.

For information, contact Shanon Yoshimoto at 270-7394 or Fran Yamamoto at 271-6138.

In addition to the swimming pools, the Aquatics Division also manages the Junior Lifeguard Program.

For more information about the Aquatics Division, check out www.co.maui.hi.us/1155/Aquatics-Division.

Recreation & Support Services

Maui County is divided into seven districts by the Parks and Recreation Department. Each district manages the county parks, community centers, community classes, camping sites (where applicable), Maui Youth Connections, PALS program and park permits. Many of these activities are free or low cost.

Do you know which districts offer the following (see answers below):

A. Fishing and cultural programs on Monday and Wednesday mornings during June and July?

B. Badminton on Monday evenings?

C. Zumba on Monday and Wednesday evenings?

D. Family Night on Wednesday evenings through September?

E. Co-ed softball Monday through Thursday evenings in June and July?

F. Barb-less fishing programs one Saturday a month?

G. Pickle ball on Tuesdays and Thursdays?

(Answer Key: A. Hana District/various locations, 248-7022; B. East District/Eddie Tam, 572-1836; C. Lanai District/Lanai Community Center, 565-6979; D. West District/Lahaina Civic Center, 270-4685; E. Molokai District/Kaunakakai Gym, 553-5141; F. South District/Ka Lae Pohaku, 891-4955; G. Central District/War Memorial, 270-7392)

To learn more about Maui County Parks and Recreation, visit www.co.maui.hi.us/119/

Parks-Recreation. And enjoy the last couple weeks of summer with your grandchildren!

* Heather Greenwood Junkermeier is with the University of Hawaii at Manoa Cooperative Extension, Maui Intergenerational and Aging Programs. “Aging Matters” covers topics of interest to the aging Maui community and appears on the third Sunday of each month.

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