WAILUA — Curt Bynum still remembers that call from his brother Tim Bynum in the early 1990s.
“He said, ‘We’re going to build a playground for the children of Kauai,’” Curt told about 150 people Saturday.
On Curt’s next vacation to Kauai, his younger brother handed him a machete and they spent five days clearing brush where Kamalani Playground now stands at Lydgate Beach Park.
“Three days into it, we found a building. Today, that’s the bathroom,” the San Diego man said, smiling.
Later, Tim said there would be soccer fields and campgrounds, too.
There were.
“I remember him saying, ‘We’re going to build a bridge across the river,” Curt said.
That bridge, built over 22 days in 2001, became Kamalani Kai Bridge, a vast climbing and walking structure with ocean views where children now play.
Saturday, in an emotional ceremony, it got a new name.
Curt paused as he looked at the crowd that had gathered for the dedication of Bynum Bridge in honor of his brother, who died in November at the age of 62.
Tim, he said, built bridges for children and for communities.
“Tim lived his entire life in love with you,” he said. “The aloha spirit that he saw, the love and the heart of the people of this island, he not only embraced, he epitomized in his life.”
The dedication was part of National Make a Difference Day that saw young and old team up to paint, scrub, clean and pick up trash at Lydgate Beach Park.
“We’ve been all over the park today,” said Kurt Indvik, spokesman for Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park.
Organizer Tommy Noyes praised the volunteers who came out on a sunny, humid morning.
“You people are the reason we do these things,” he said. “Bring the community out together to express our stewardship for Lydgate Park, support for our neighbors, friends and family, working together, shoulder by shoulder.”
The day’s focus, though, was on Tim Bynum. The four-term county councilmember was a champion for children, particularly abused children, and a driving force behind the completion of Kamalani Playground in 1994. His love for Kauai was well-known.
“That was his heart and soul, community,” said Councilmember JoAnn Yukimura.
He also was a key player in the $8.4 million Hardy Street improvements officially finished in 2016, Yukimura said.
“Because of Tim’s persistence, that project did happen,” she said.
That was just a small part of all he did for Kauai, Yukimura said.
“Tim wasn’t thinking of families today, he was thinking of the families generations from now. That will be his legacy and the community is better because of Tim Bynum,” she said.
The 20-minute ceremony, which included music by Larry Rivera singing his hit song, “Kamalani,” featured the unveiling of displays and signage outlining all of Bynum’s contributions, the thousands of volunteers who helped and the history behind the playgrounds and Bynum Bridge.
Gini Bynum, Tim’s wife, was pleased with the honors for her husband.
“He definitely deserves it,” she said. “He would be very happy about all this. He would say, ‘I don’t deserve it.’ He never wanted to be in the spotlight.”
Curt was proud to cast that spotlight on his younger brother.
“Generations of this island will remember someone who loved them,” he said, “who loved them to the depth of his heart.”
