HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Advocates for the preservation of the Haʻikū Stairs received a temporary win after the Intermediate Court of Appeals ordered work on the landmark to halt.
"It is hereby ordered that the Motion for Injunction Pending Appeal is temporarily granted in part as follows: The City is hereby enjoined from altering, demolishing, or removing all or any part of the Ha ikū Stairs — directly or indirectly through its agents, representatives, employees,
agencies, and/or contractors — pending this court's entry of a further order on the Motion for Injunction Pending Appeal," the court said in its order, dated June 20.
The Friends of Haʻikū Stairs oppose the Cityʻs demolition plan and filed an appeal in early 2024, proposing that plans created during Mayor Caldwellʻs administration be implemented.
“There are so many myths about the dangers and risks of the stairs, but none of it is true. With slip-proof steps and handrails all the way up, the Stairway to Heaven is one of the safest hikes on island,” FHS vice president, Justin Scorza said. “Of course, we sympathize with the neighbors who have had to endure trespassers, but the blame ultimately rests on the ity [sic] for failing to open up managed access and direct hikers to the right trail.”
Meanwhile, the stairs remain closed and seeing as the contractor had previously began removing bolts from the stairs, hiking the landmark could pose a serious safety risk.
The City said in a statement after the injunction order, "Courts routinely grant temporary orders, to preserve the status quo and give the court time to consider a case more fully. The City believes that the facts and the law are on our side, as two Circuit Court judges have already ruled, and we look forward to presenting our case to the ICA on Wednesday."
A hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday at Aliiolani Hale. The court is expected to hear arguments before making a decision on whether to grant a longer injunction.