October 2026 Aloha+ Workday

Explore the Makiki Garden and learn more about its history and the importance of urban green spaces! Photo credit: Makiki Community Garden In alignment with Urban October, HGG is spotlighting the Aloha+ Goal of Smart Sustainable Communities (SSC)! Aiming to increase the livability and resilience in the built environment through planning and implementation at the state and county levels, part of this Goal includes Open, Public, & Green Spaces (SSC 06) which looks to enhance and encourage diverse uses of and investment in Hawaiʻi’s abundant public, open and green spaces as well as cultural sites, and increase community-based partnerships and efforts for stewarding them. This month, HGG is teaming up with the Makiki Community Garden to showcase their role as an urban green space. Originally starting as a research site for the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association, the Makiki Community Garden was officially founded in 1975 and is one of the 11 community garden sites on Oʻahu under the Honolulu Recreational Community Gardening Program. Today, the space continues to be a gathering place where community members share plants, knowledge, and stories with each other. In addition to advancing the SSC Goal, the Community Garden also directly contributes to the Aloha+ Goal of Local Food Production and Consumption (LFPC)! According to a survey from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the Honolulu Parks and Recreation Department, many of the plants grown in the plots serve as a food source for households (1). These gardens directly contribute to the statewide goal to double local food production by 2030. Join us to tour the garden, learn more about its history, and enjoy a plant swap for our October Aloha+ Workday! Members from all communities are welcome to visit the Makiki Community Garden and receive tips from fellow gardeners as we engage in some hands-on activities to beautify the space. Please note that capacity is limited to 20 participants, see below for more information. Event details Date: Friday, Oct 30, 2026 Time: 9am to 11am Location: Makiki Community Garden (located in Makiki District Park), 1527 Keʻeaumoku St., Honolulu, Oʻahu Please bring/wear: Sunscreen/sun protection, water/refillable water bottle, gardening gloves (if you have them), closed toe shoes, and clothes that can get dirty. (1) “Community Gardens on Oʻahu”, Raj et al., 2025.