SENIOR PASTOR DAN CHUN SAYS THE CHURCH IS AWARE OF HOW UNIQUE THE 246 ACRE PROPERTY IS …. IT'S ZONED CONSERVATION LAND BY THE STATE'S DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES… WHILE THEY'LL WORK TOGETHER ON PLANS FOR THE GOLF COURSE, IT'S STILL TOO EARLY TO KNOW WHAT'S AHEAD. IT'S AN 18-HOLE COURSE SUROUNDED BY NATURE'S BEAUTY… KO'OLAU GOLF CLUB OPENED IN 19-92.. THE FIRST PREBYSTERIAN CHURCH BOUGHT IT IN 2006. ATTEMPTS BY FIVE COURSE OPERATORS — INCLUDING THE CHURCH — WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. NOW, THE GREEN MAY SEE IT'S FINAL SWING. PASTOR DAN CHUN:"I THINK MANY COMPANIES HAVE TRIED TO MAKE IT WORK, SO I AM NOT BLAMING THE PRESENT OWNERS OR SHOULD I SAY FORMER OWNERS AT THIS POINT, IT JUST HAS BEEN VERY HARD TO RUN GOLF COURSES AND IT HAS BEEN ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY IF NOT THE WORLD AND SO… AND THEN YOU THROW IN CORONAVIRUS." THE COURSE HAS BEEN MARKETED AS ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGEING TOUGHEST TO OPERATE. IN AN AGREEMENT WITH THE D-L-N-R, THE CHURCH MAINTAINS THE GOLF COURSE… BUT NOW IT'S OPEN TO OTHER OPTIONS. PASTOR DAN CHUN: "WE HAVE ALL COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT AND SO THEY ARE OPEN TO L DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE COULD USE THE PROPERTY AND WE ARE JUST BEGINNING CONVERSATIONS WITH THAT, WE'VE HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS" THE CHURCH ALSO OWNS THE KO'OLAU BALLROOMS AND CONFERENCE CENTER…
BUT HAS NOT BEEN HOLDING EVENTS DUE TO THE CITY'S COVID-19 RECOVERY FRAMEWORK… IN-PERSON RELIGIOUS SERVICES ARE ALLOWED AT 50 PERCENT CAPACITY. BUT PASTOR CHUN SAYS, THEY'RE NOT RISKING ANYONE'S HEALTH, SO THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MEET ONLINE. PASTOR DAN CHUN:WE HAVE ALL OF THE YOUTH GROUPS, SMALL GROUPS, AND MEN'S GROUPS, SENIOR CITIZEN GROUPS AND BIBLE STUDIES THEY ARE STILL OCCURRING BUT IT'S ALL ZOOMING WE ARE ALL ZOOMING ONLINE." AS FOR THE GOLF COURSE… CHUN SAYS, THEY'RE NOT SURE ABOUT ITS COMMITTING TO A SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS PLAN. PASTOR DAN CHUN: "SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES RIGHT NOW AND WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH THE STATE RESOURCES TO COME UP WITH THOSE POSSIBILITIES." MAX RODRIGUEZ KHON2 NEWS LAUREN: WHILE SOME BUSINESSES ARE CLOSING OR CANCELING EVENTS…
OTHERS ARE EXPRESSING RELIEF AND EXCITEMENT AS OAHU ENTERS ITS FIRST WEEKEND OF LOOSENED RESTRICTIONS. SOME BUSINESS WE SPOKE WITH SAY THEY'VE WAITED PATIENTLY AND ARE.