Camp Erdman's sustainability playground is a first

On June 3, more than 70 volunteers began construction of the first playground in Hawaii incorporating natural elements to teach campers about environmental sustainability at the YMCA's Camp Erdman. The national nonprofit organization KaBOOM! funded the 29,000-square-foot play area, one of more than 1,600 new playgrounds, skate parks and sports fields it has built across the nation since 1995.

Camp Erdman was selected for the first Nature Built playground in Hawaii. “Kids from our community were able to help design it," said Josh Heimowitz, executive director of Camp Erdman. "It's perfect timing, since summer camp will be starting soon."

Planning for the playground began in January when 30 children from the camp were asked to design a playground using natural items. Their drawings, along with designs from adults, were sent to KaBOOM! headquarters, where landscape designer Noah Levy brought it together on a blueprint.

For example, Rose Garcia, 6, from Kapolei Elementary, helped design a tree house, which volunteers started building on June 3. Garcia and other children also created thank-you notes for volunteers out of recycled paper embedded with a'ali'i seeds so the volunteers can plant the cards later.

Army volunteers worked on a canoe hale entrance to the playground, while Y's Men's Club members dug a footpath to a rock amphitheater and hiking trail. Other features include a compass-shaped maze and a jumping garden made from invasive mangrove stumps, which YMCA staff chopped down with state officials earlier this year.

About 300 volunteers contributed to the project, which was officially opened on June 6 by Darrell Hammond, KaBOOM! CEO and co-founder. Besides KaBOOM!, local companies volunteered or donated materials, including Aloha United Way, Architects Hawaii Ltd., Complete Tent Rental, GEICO, HFM Food Service, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, Lost at Sea, the Omidyar Network, Rotary Club of Honolulu, Sky Dive Hawaii, TR3EES, Turtle Bay Resort, Waialua Soda Works, Waimea Falls Grill and Y. Hata & Co.