Mother Waldron Neighborhood Park

This park has 2 pickleball courts, a small dog area, and a little jungle gym area. It is pretty open. But there was a crazy person doing their thing and a bunch of chickens. I feel unsure about the hygiene in the grass. It was pretty active in the middle of the afternoon though

Usually drive past this park at night and is avoided then.Day time, so green, wide and actually shady. Its surrounded by awesome murals from the surrounding warehouse businesses.Benches, cement benches and table-benches dot this park. Playground area with bouncy rubber ground. Multiple basketball courts.Restroom looked gated shut. An actually pleasant, semi-empty park during the day to enjoy lunch at. Lots of birds singing and flying around.

I ordered lunch to go at the Hamada General Store down the street. There was no place to eat there because it's all take out only so I walked over to the nearest park to enjoy my lunch. Once I arrived I noticed many homeless near the restroom area and there was a semi clean park bench where I sat to eat lunch. While eating a homeless lady came up to me to beg for money and I advised her to leave me alone until l finished my lunch. After I ate I wanted to use the restroom but all the homeless surrounded the building and I didn't even want to step inside so I left.

Since moving into the Kaka'ako neighborhood, we've noticed several changes at the Mother Waldron Park as we frequent during our walking adventures. The most notable change has been the curtailing of homeless encampments which made this 1.76-acre a sketchy public park to even pass by even during broad daylight. Over the past months, our City & County has put more effort into assisting the homeless to relocate and getting into public housing or any medical assistance. Since we've had COVID-19 restrictions, this grassy area of this park has become greener and its amenities haven't taken such daily "beatings" from the regular park users.But, let's look at the historic background of this park. We should look back at its architectural style(s) to get a hint about the park's creation. This park, formerly playground, was developed and constructed under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) funds in 1937 but was temporarily halted due to World War II. It was finally completed in 1945 just as the Honolulu Board of Parks and Recreation was created. The major significance to the park's development that used funds from the WPA was the social movement that supported organized play and playgrounds. If you look at the park's Art Deco zig-zag brick walls with rounded piers and Art Moderne smooth rounded curved pergolas covering its centrally located comfort station you might not be surprised to find that this park's design and landscaping was none other than Henry Sims Bent, who also designed Ala Moana (Regional) Park. This park is divided into two sections, one for younger children and the other for older ones. But, who was Mother Waldron you might ask?? Upon doing some research, I found that Margaret "Mother" Waldron (1873-1936) was a well-known teacher at the former Pohukaina Elementary School (demolished in 1980) which was located at the Cooke and Pohukaina Streets' corner of the grassy area of the park. Mother Waldron Playground was named in honor of this teacher, who for many years organized and supervised playground activities for low‐income multi‐ethnic students at nearby Atkinson Playground (now the lot bordered by Pohukaina and Auahi Streets). She was often referred to as Honolulu's "Friend to the Poor" and worked as a social welfare crusader, youth advocate, unpaid probation officer, and philanthropist.Growing up on O'ahu, my family would drive into the Kaka'ako area, which was still an industrial area through the 60s and early 70s with Honolulu Iron Works occupying the site where Waterfront Plaza now stands, residential cottages or camps where many Portuguese, Filipinos, Japanese and other immigrants lived, worked and played, and burgeoning family-run businesses. But, somehow I remember this park to be larger with seesaws and swings which I yearned to ask my father to stop just, so I could go out to play there. My older siblings would want to play shuffleboard, handball, or volleyball...oh, these memories have become ghosts as this park declined. Anyway, over the years since this park's construction, the basketball courts have been resurfaced several times and the City and County upgraded safer playground equipment while keeping original boundary walls and comfort stations. I also realized that this park did "shrink" in size on its Halekauwila Street border to allow for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Today, residents of Kaka'ako see and use this park as a green space that includes luxury condominiums, affordable and senior housing, commercial properties, and light industrial structures.

Attended an event there today, 808 Green Thumbs "seed exchange". The park is very nice with lots of free parking. The group is gathered under a shady tree.I loved it! I shared my kulantro plants , Rosemary seedlings, and pepper trees. Look at what I got! A papaya plant, basil, pepper, 2 succulents and a cool t-shirt! I also bought fresh corn, 8/$6!Nice event, friendly people!They meet there every other month and it is open to all. Great location for an informal gathering

Sadly, this park is barely usable anymore. Years ago, it used to be a beautiful green place with lots of room for families and kids. It wasn't the best area to lurk about at night, but I still felt safe enough if I needed to walk through in the dark. Now, the grassy areas are sectioned off by bright orange plastic "fences" and yellow tape. Small tent cities and shopping carts are stationed throughout the walking paths. Even during broad daylight, I try to avoid needing to go near the park. There were a few teens shooting hoops this past weekend, but otherwise, the park entrances/exits are closed and the space has been rendered largely unusable. I really hope the city comes up with a sustainable plan for transitional and community housing in the upcoming years.

Located next to Fisher Hawaii and surrounding warehouse style stores and shops, this spacious park has a basketball court, padded jungle gym area and fairly clean restrooms. Great place to let the kids run free and enjoy themselves. The park is very well kept. There aren't many trees throughout the park, most of the trees line the park edge, bringing an umbrella or pop up would be ideal since this is a great place to picnic if you decide to have a day with the little ones.Would have given it 4 stars if there were benches with more trees to provide natural shade, on a breezy day I would bring a mat and sit under one of the trees and relax. You have to love these little parks nestled between buildings and warehouses, were you can get out and clear your mind of daily work stress and realize what a beautiful day it is.

The park and playground were recently renovated. The playground has an updated, more modern look. There are two full size outdoor basketball courts and a large grass area where people bring their dogs and play sports. At times, there is even pickup games of ultimate frisbee and basketball to join in!Ever since the renovation, it seems there are less homeless in the park, which makes me feel more comfortable crossing through the park during dusk.

I am rating this playground three stars because there are no swings, and because the bathrooms are scary. Please escort your child there. There are homeless people all around the bathroom area, and there was one sleeping inside the bathroom. A big puddle of something was there too. Other than the bathrooms I don't have any complaints. The murals are really cool.

This is a green oasis in the middle of Kakaako. A great place to have a picnic lunch from one of the food trucks which are usually there.