Parks committee advances Laura H. Thielen confirmation after review of maintenance, programs

The Honolulu City Council Committee on Parks voted by voice consent to report Resolution 25-18 out for adoption, confirming Laura H. Thielen as director of parks and recreation for the City and County of Honolulu, after Thielen summarized the department's past four years and plans for the next term.

Thielen told the committee she prioritized reorganizing maintenance operations and expanding proactive repair programs. “The full value of parks is not just the spaces. It's the meeting places, the gathering places, the recreational opportunities, the educational opportunities, the social opportunities,” Director Laura H. Thielen said, describing parks as more than physical grounds.

Thielen outlined administrative changes taken during her first term, including splitting an oversized district that previously spanned Mililani, Pearl City, Ewa and the Leeward Coast into two districts, and adding a garbage crew and a mowing crew to improve maintenance equity across Central and West Oahu. She said 11 of 13 mid-…