KAHALU'U — City officials say another year and an additional $1.27 million will be needed to ready Kahalu'u Regional Park for its long-delayed opening.

The 10-acre facility was scheduled to open in 2003. Drainage problems and other setbacks are now pushing back the first round of football and baseball games there until sometime in 2008.

While both playing fields are in place, the area's soil initially left them rock-strewn and susceptible to waterlogged conditions.

Over the past three years, Pop Warner football players and Little League Baseball players were told each year that they would be playing on the new fields by the next season. The level of frustration among ballplayers and their families rises as each year passes, said Nick Cambra, president of the Kahalu'u-He'eia Pop Warner Association.

"There really are problems there but there's nothing that should take this long to fix," Cambra said. "It's been too long."

In the past decade, as Windward parks in more populated areas, such as Kailua, Kane'ohe and Waimanalo, received millions of dollars to upgrade and repair pool, gym and court areas, smaller communities have obtained funding for new restroom buildings and skateboard parks. With a shortage of playing fields for various sports, the Kahalu'u park has been long awaited — area residents initiated plans for the park more than 25 years ago.

Long waits for projects are not unusual as the city must navigate various planning, funding and construction matters. But the wait can be frustrating.

"Sometimes we do feel like we don't exist," said DeeDee Letts, chairwoman of the Ko'olauloa Neighborhood Board, which represents communities from Ka'a'awa to Kahuku. It took three years to replace a deteriorating comfort station at Ka'a'awa Beach Park, Letts said, adding that parks seem to take longer than other projects.

Unusually wet weather has been blamed for some of the setbacks at Kahalu'u Regional Park, but Cambra wonders if the community just isn't vocal enough. Residents offered to finish the job but were turned down, he said. "We could be using that field if they would just let the community do it," Cambra said. "They talk about obesity in America and our unhealthy kids because they don't exercise and then they don't give us a place to exercise." He said he's held back on expanding the Pop Warner league because of the lack of practice and playing fields. The association now pays about $1,800 a year to use turf at King Intermediate School.

In addition to fixing Kahalu'u Regional Park's fields, the city is improving landscaping and access to a canoe halau area. Also, it will improve a walking path area and leach field tied to restroom facilities. So far, the city has spent $1.03 million on development of the park facility.

Park construction began in late 2002 and ran into trouble by June the following year when the effort fell six months behind schedule. Field construction was stymied by the persistent surfacing of rocks the size of baseballs. Heavy rains in 2005 and again earlier this year exacerbated the problem, said Craig Nishimura, deputy director for the city Department of Design and Construction.

"Rain played a part, but rain just brought out the problem," he said. "It probably was the soil condition itself."

The soil, composed largely of granulated dredged material, does not drain well. Heavy rains leave ponds in the fields, which causes grass to rot, Nishimura said. He said he suspects the soil condition also is to blame for trees dying in the park.

The Kahalu'u Neighborhood Board in July noted 43 dead trees in the park, including 12 wiliwili that suffered from wasp infestation, according to a transcript of minutes from a board meeting.

After a failed attempt to mitigate the problem through less costly means, the city last year hired a turf consultant who drew up plans to install a drainage system, remove 6 inches of dirt, apply topsoil and re-grass the ball fields, Nishimura said. While $1.27 million has been appropriated to prepare the park for its opening, the final figures won't be decided until the contractor adds up the costs, he said.

The new plan has been sent to the city Department of Parks and Recreation for review, and once approved, the contractor can move forward. Work is scheduled to begin in April and is expected to be completed within a six-month period. If all goes well, the fields may be turned over to the parks department in February 2008, he said.

Nishimura said he understands the longstanding frustrations linked to development of the park.

"I feel for them," he said of area residents. "I look in the file and this thing has gone on and on. The city wants to get this project done."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.