Beginning today, the city will close Thomas Square for four days to clean up the park.

The park, where homeless advocates say about 20 people sleep nightly, will shut down and reopen with new hours that close the park at night to discourage illegal camping. Cleaning will include repairs and painting of the bathrooms, fixing picnic areas, landscape maintenance and installing lighting. When the park reopens, it will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

"When the cleanup involves the homeless, we will be cautious," said Mayor Mufi Hannemann. "We did it in Ala Moana and at Ma'ili beach parks. Our parks should be available to all our residents."

The city started closing parks in March 2006 at Ala Moana Beach Park, forcing abut 200 homeless people to find another place to stay. The park shut down for three days and reopened with renovated facilities and new hours.