Friday, January 23, 2015

Kaneohe - an all-ages community?

What's it take to make Kaneohe an all-ages community?


Kaneohe is a great place to live. It offers lots of opportunities to socialize and be involved in community activities. You can find a job here. And it's pretty safe. 

But it could work better -- for people of all ages. That was the conclusion of a group of Kaneohe volunteers who participated in the Communities for a Lifetime Project. Sponsored by the University of Hawaii, the project helps residents to assess the "age friendliness" of their communities and to become advocates for age-friendly resources in their neighborhoods. 

The Kaneohe volunteers' report notes many concerns about transportation. That's important in a suburb where services and facilities are scattered over a wide area. Priorities identified by the group include:
  • Accessible and varied transportation alternatives.
  • Improved traffic navigation.
  • Improved sidewalks, and more of them.
  • Wider parking stalls.
  • Reliable door-to-door transportation.

Other priorities touched on a variety of aspects of Kaneohe's physical, social and service environments. They include:
  • More affordable housing.
  • Outdoor spaces with tables and chairs that are protected from rain and sun.
  • Clean restrooms.
  • An improved communication system.
  • Full-service medical services.



What do you think of these priorities?  

What are your own recommendations for making Kaneohe more age-friendly? Share them here. Let's get a conversation going.

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