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Our growing collection of first-person opinion and commentary; the observations of citizens, community leaders, and elected officials during the long, complicated Natatorium controversy. Keep watching this space for many other current and older archival documents.
- October 31, 2004
- Jeremy Harris - The Exit Interview
Honolulu Advertiser
And we had an instance just a few days ago with the Natatorium where both candidates pledged they were going to stop the remedial emergency work at the Natatorium. Well, that concerns me...
- October 10, 2004
- Letter
Anonymous Structural Engineer
If they drive the piles into the reef... the vibrations could further damage the already suspect bleachers and arch... and it is not out of the question that the Aquarium and Kaimana Beach Hotel and neighboring buildings could be affected.
- August 23, 2004
- The Truth About Historic Preservation: Adaptive Re-use of the Natatorium
James J. Bickerton, Esq. and Douglas A. Codiga, Esq.
Contrary to the Harris administration's assertions, historic preservation laws would not prevent the creation of a memorial beach along the lines proposed by the Kaimana Beach Coalition. Although the Natatorium is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Hawaii Register of Historic Places, these designations are not the end of the story.
- August 20, 2004
- Memories of Duke Kahanamoku and the Natatorium
John Titchen
Retired staff photographer for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin
"He was too polite to say so, but it became very clear that Duke just didn't want to swim in the Natatorium." In 1967, long-time staff photographer for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, John Titchen, received a call from the Editor of Sports Illustrated and Titchen was retained to "shoot a photo of Duke swimming in the Natatorium"...
- August 20, 2004
- Letter
Kevin R. Bodge, Ph.D., P.E.
Senior Engineer/Vice-President, Olsen Associates, Inc.
I was surprised to learn that there is continued interest in permitting the Natatorium restoration project in its proposed, mostly enclosed configuration. Based upon my brief review of the project's documents and limited site visits, I do not believe that the proposed design will function as intended or claimed.
- August 25, 1999
- Which Came First, the Waikiki Natatorium - or the World War I Memorial?
Senator J. Ward Russell
"... 'we are back to square one.' " ...obsolete, deteriorated, salt-water swimming pool plus limited access to a small, beautiful, heavily used sandy beach (Kaimana Beach)."
NOTE: Revered former Republican state senator and Hawaiian Telephone Co. executive, the late J. Ward Russell was a member of the territorial Legislature from 1951 to 1954 and again from 1956 to 1959, and served as a state senator from 1959 to 1963. Ward, who also supported the Natatorium's complete demolition, was a member of the Duke Kahanamoku Foundation and the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association. The Save Kaimana Beach Coalition was personally given all of the senator's volumes of files related to the Natatorium.
- July 14, 1999
- Mufi's Switch
Mufi Hannemann
Councilmember
The Harris administration should get over its stubborn insistence that the natatorium project proceed in full, and instead bow to the will of the public and its own financial limitations...
- December 25, 1998
- Letter
Fred Trask
Registered Professional Civil Engineer and past president, Waikiki Roughwater Swim
"...safety is compromised" "...Engineering for the filtration... is speculative and unproven." "Over 11 years ago, CJS Architect Ltd. proposed an excellent compromise solution by retaining the memorial portion and creating a half-moon beach area with natural circulation...".
- August 20, 1997
- Murky Memorial
Rick Bernstein
In the Honolulu Weekly
The people of Honolulu deserve a special place, free of commercialization and hype. An oasis of peace and tranquility now exists at Kaimana Beach. Do we really want to jeopardize this special place for yet another tourist destination?
- March 7, 1997
- Official Letter
Dr. Bruce Anderson
Hawai'i State Department of Health
To Mayor Jeremy Harris
"...without considering other alternatives came as a surprise" "...serious concerns ...about the health and safety of the pool" "...do we really need a saltwater pool?" "...Friends of the Natatorium mean well ...It is possible however, that they have let their emotions get in the way of common sense." "Who is going to pay to swim in a pool when one of the best beaches in the world is next door?" "The only unacceptable option is to do nothing!"
- April 1, 1982
- Official Letter
Marilyn Bornhorst
Chair, City and County of Honolulu Waikiki Task Force
"Based on the present state of disrepair, liability factors, cost of restoration, usage, and location"...Natatorium should be demolished as soon as possible... "open space created by the demolition be maintained as open space to provide for additional beach area."
- February 4, 1982
- Official Letter
Donald A. Bremner
Executive VP, Waikiki Improvement Association
"The Waikiki Improvement Association has a long established position which calls for the demolition of the Natatorium to make way for additional beach space in that area of Waikiki." "...Natatorium is in our minds obsolete, both physically and recreationally." "...counter-productive to any legitimate public purpose...".
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