BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Mayor Kirk Caldwell, left, and Green Thumb Inc. workers planted a monkeypod tree Monday in Ala Moana Regional Park.
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The city is planting 44 trees along Ala Moana Boulevard as part of a multipoint plan to beautify Ala Moana Regional Park, Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced Monday.
The tree plantings will close the far-right, Diamond Head-bound lane from Kamakee Street to Atkinson Drive from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays through Sept. 2, although not necessarily every day, the city said.
Being planted are 12 monkeypod, 13 coconut, four loulu palm, five alahee, five lonomea and five manele trees. While monkeypods are not native to Hawaii, they are considered the official street tree of Kakaako and are commonly found along other sections of the boulevard.
Other improvements include the repaving and repainting of the Magic Island exercise path; renovating the Magic Island restroom; installing brighter, energy-saving LED lighting at concessions and comfort stations; installing a new water-conserving irrigation system; and removing coral and rocks along the shoreline.
Additional park staff have also been hired to help with security and upkeep of the recreational facility, which was first dedicated in 1934.
Feedback is still being accepted for the park’s master plan at OurAla
MoanaPark.com.