West Oahu community members fear they may lose access to sports fields, a bowling alley and child care center as the Navy's plans to transfer 499 acres at Kalaeloa to a private developer are delayed.

The transfer originally was supposed to happen in July, but has not transpired yet.

The U.S. Navy and Ford Island Properties LLC, a partnership between Hunt Development Group and Fluor Federal Services, are still working out lease details.

Steve Colon, vice president of FIP, said the delay was due to the requirement of completed environmental reports, but that he's hoping to have an agreement - a 40-year interim lease that can be converted to fee simple ownership - in place by the end of the month.

“;I am confident it will happen,”; he said.

Approximately 200 community members, meanwhile, flooded the Makakilo/Kapolei neighborhood meeting on Wednesday evening to air their concerns about the loss of Pride and Pointer fields which are on month-to-month leases to the city.

Many were parents with their children who use the fields for baseball or football practice, according to Maeda Timson, board chair. Senior citizens also showed up to express concern about the loss of the Barbers Point Bowling alley, which is expected to close Oct. 1.

Parents whose children were at the Kapolei Child Development Center, meanwhile, received letters saying they needed to find another one.

“;The bottom line is there was a frustration by the community of Kapolei as well as Kalaeloa, that these are such priceless community benefits,”; said Timson. “;And that they did not want them just fall by the wayside.”;

Several buildings at Kalaeloa, the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station, have fallen into disrepair and neglect. Kalaeloa is also home to tennis courts, a swimming pool, and Touch-N-Go mini mart.

Timson said no representatives from the U.S. Navy or FIP showed up at the neighborhood board meeting.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority, which oversees redevelopment of Kalaeloa and FIP, meanwhile, tried to quell the concerns.

The two issued a joint statement saying they have agreed to work together to ensure certain facilities remain open during the transition.

“;Our desire is to have Kalaeloa become a thriving community with a full range of community facilities,”; Colon said.

The day care center will be run for at least six more months by the Navy's Morale, Welfare and Recreation department.

Anthony Ching, HCDA's executive director, has been working on a memorandum of understanding for at least a year, which would include what happens to public facilities.

If a private operator is not found for the day care center, then HCDA will take action to acquire the site and continue the operations, said Ching.

In January, the Navy announced it would be conveying the Kalaeloa lands to FIP as part of a land-swap deal for FIP's leasehold interest in 40 acres on Ford Island and $16.6 million in improvements.

A year ago, the state was interested in purchasing the lands in Kalaeloa, but the Navy instead announced the Ford Island deal.

HCDA has been working for years on a master plan for Kalaeloa and has four community and advisory groups for the district.

But FIP has its own master plan in the works as well. Colon said in earlier interviews he would focus less on residential development because of the saturation of new homes already on West Oahu.

HCDA would be the zoning authority for any private entity that assumes title to the lands in the district. Federal entities are exempt.

“;Once you convey federal lands to a private party, there will be no doubt those lands would be subject to our regulation,”; he said.