The Weight/Napoleon ohana cares so much about the War Memorial Natatorium, for so many reasons. — Their ancestor, Sam Kainoa, who died in the service in World War I, is among the 10,000 volunteers from Hawaii honored at the Natatorium. –Another forebearer, Walter Napoleon, was superintendent at the Tank and captain of Hawaii lifeguards. –The family’s matriarch, Naomi Weight, daughter of Walter, practically grew up at the Natatorium on the shore of Waikiki, as did so many Oahu residents for generations. So you’ll see dozens of members of this great ohana at the Natatorium each year for the Memorial Day
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Archives for News coverage
Do You Have Great Natatorium Photos Like This?
Time to check your ohana’s photo albums, scrap books, storage boxes and slide carousels. We need photos of you, your family and your friends at the War Memorial Natatorium in Waikiki. If you have home movies, even better. Why? The Friends of the Natatorium are working with the film and television pros at TalkStory Productions to produce a documentary. We want to tell the Natatorium’s story. From the global conflict it was built to commemorate to the Olympic champions who swam at the Tank and international swimming records set there. But more than a sports history piece, it’s a love
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The Natatorium is Featured in Alaska Airlines Magazine
If you happen to be flying Alaska Airlines this month, dig into that seat pocket in front of you, pull out the February issue of Alaska Beyond magazine and flip to page 21. Yes: A very nice story on the Natatorium and our efforts — your efforts — to repair and reopen it. If you’re not flying, never fear: You can see the piece online. For a PDF of just the Natatorium story, go to this link posted by our friends at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. If you’d like to see the story in the context of the
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See Natatorium Veterans Day Photos and TV Coverage
Mahalo to all who joined us on Veterans Day 2014! It was a moving and memorable observance. Veterans, serving military members and civilians joined together on the grounds outside the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium to pay tribute to those who have served our country. We thanked those veterans who were present. We remembered those who have fallen. We honored everyone who has worn the uniform of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. A Floral Tribute to the 10,000 This was the 18th consecutive year that the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8616 has sponsored its Veterans Day
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Memorials: Important Reading. Natatorium: Important Deadline
From the op-ed page of today’s International New York Times comes this important meditation on “Why Our Monuments Matter.” We love the eloquent conclusion: “The great dislocation of our time indicates just how frail our monuments, our books, our thoughts and principles can be. Still, they exist — and they are our guide and our shield. But if our symbols are lost, we will be no better than ignorant armies riding pickup trucks through the endless dust, where canals, dried and gone, once made the desert bloom.” Have you submitted a comment yet on Honolulu’s plan to demolish the wonderful,
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Mahalo! Super Turnout for Natatorium Public Meeting
Many thanks to the many, many advocates for our War Memorial Natatorium who came out for last night’s public meeting! As you can see from the photo (and only about a half of our overwhelming turnout made it into the picture), the pro-Natatorium crowd made an impressive showing in our bright yellow “Remember-Respect-Renew” T-shirts. (The back of the shirts reads, “Save ‘em!” Note the logo of the National Trust for Historic Preservation on the left sleeves.) Among those who came out were veterans, including high-ranking leaders of the VFW and American Legion. There were surfers. Historic preservationists. Swimmers and water
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Environmental Impact Study, Events, Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, News coverage, Uncategorized, and Veterans.
City and County of Honolulu, environmental impact study, Friends of the Natatorium, Historic Hawai'i Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Waikiki Natatorium, and WCP Inc..
City and County of Honolulu, environmental impact study, Friends of the Natatorium, Historic Hawai'i Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Waikiki Natatorium, and WCP Inc..
A Must Read: Hawaii’s Natatorium, as Seen from The Atlantic
This week’s big news about the Natatorium prompted The Atlantic to publish an absolutely must-read overview and thought piece. The story, headlined “The Improbable Persistence of Swimming Pools Built in the Ocean,” carries the byline of The Atlantic senior associate editor Adrienne LaFrance. She’s a former reporter for Honolulu Civil Beat, and has written about the Natatorium issue before. But the format of The Atlantic really gives her room to write a “big picture” analysis with knowledge, insight, grace and passion. The issue, she writes, isn’t just what to do with a unique 100-meter ocean pool anchoring one end of
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Natatorium Named a "National Treasure" by National Trust
Big, big news! The National Trust for Historic Preservation announces today that the War Memorial Natatorium is now a National Treasure. That designation means that the National Trust is (pardon the expression) diving headfirst into the effort to preserve, revitalize and reopen our amazing, historic 100-meter ocean pool in Waikiki. They’ll provide manpower, resources, partnerships, planning, expertise. Whatever it takes. Why? The president and CEO of the National Trust, Stepanie Meeks, says the Natatorium is a “one-of-a-kind resource.” “There is no comparable structure elsewhere in the nation,” Meeks says. “This Treasure designation reflects our commitment to developing a collaborative preservation
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The Wall Street Journal: Preservation and the Natatorium
There was an important story in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend about a major challenge faced by historic preservationists nationwide. Among those facing that challenge are those of us working so hard to restore and reopen the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. And, in fact, the Natatorium gets a prominent mention in the Journal story. The focus of the piece is the recent scarcity of government financial support for historic preservation. Says the Journal: Save America’s Treasures, a federal grant program that provided more than $300 million to help preserve some 600 historic structures around the country since its
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Honolulu's Architects: Restore Natatorium and "Preserve an Essential Piece of our Soul"
Great news! The Honolulu chapter of the American Institute of Architects – in a guest column in the Nov. 17 Honolulu Star-Advertiser – issued a strong, eloquent call for restoration of the War Memorial Natatorium, our “living and permanent memorial” to Hawaii’s World War I soldiers and sailors. The AIA cites the observation of Arthur Frommer: “Tourism does not go to a city that has lost its soul.” “By restoring the Natatorium,” the AIA concludes, “we will fulfill our original promise to honor those who served in The Great War, preserve an essential piece of our soul, and allow the
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