HONOLULU (KHON2) — The City and County of Honolulu is continuing to look for ways to improve Skyline, with their new initiative, Food Hubs at Skyline Stations.
“One of the things that we know is that it’s too hard sometimes to fit everything into the day,” said Kealoha Fox, Deputy Director of Sustainability and Resiliency. “So if we can combine food access with where people live and how they transport between places where they live and they work, maybe we can help to make a little bit of the day less complicated and easier for people that have access to get across Oahu.”
This new initiative includes a farmer’s market organized by ʻElepaio Social Services and Hawaii food pantry distribution, which will essentially turn the rail station into a food access hub.
So getting groceries could be as simple as getting off the rail and picking up what you need just a few steps away.
“Today’s an example of what our city can be doing to support our local community from the food trees and plants planted,” said Honolulu City Councilmember Matt Weyer. “To ensure our local families have access to food and also support our local farmers and ranchers as well.”
“Given the space that we’re using here, we really need to pay homage to our hardworking farmers that put food on our plates every day,” said Alicia Higa, ʻElepaio Social Services Executive Director. “They work so hard, anything that we can do as part of our food system that support our farmers that grow the food that we eat and get to enjoy every day, we need to do everything that we can to make sure that we’re putting money right here in our communities.”
Also, as a part of the pilot project, two skyline stations, Ho’ae’ae and Honouliuli, also feature prototype food-growing spaces that are designed to grow local food trees and Native Hawaiian plants.