Archives for Statement

Mahalo, Natatorium supporters!

20-Nov-19 | 5 Comments

A note from Mo Radke, president of the Friends of the Natatorium Dear Friends, After years of study, the City and County of Honolulu has issued its final environmental impact statement on the Natatorium. And the news is terrific! The final document confirms the conclusions of the draft EIS: Honolulu should rehabilitate the War Memorial Natatorium and reopen it as a public swimming venue. The city said it now proposes to repair the memorial by pursuing the so-called perimeter deck option, retaining “as much of the physical structure that defines the historic integrity of the Natatorium as possible.” The perimeter
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Categories: Environmental Impact Study, Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Statement.
Tags: City and County of Honolulu, environmental impact statement, environmental impact study, Fred Ballard, Friends of the Natatorium, Historic Hawai'i Foundation, Kay Napoleon, Lin Pang, Nancy Bannick, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Roger Lee, Ron Yasui, and Ronald Yasui.

Mahalo, Natatorium Supporters. Your Comments: Awesome.

22-Aug-14 | 3 Comments

You are simply the greatest. We thank you for your latest outpouring of support for preserving, repairing and reopening the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. On Friday, the Friends of the Natatorium and the National Trust for Historic Preservation delivered comments from an amazing 1,161 people and organizations to the Honolulu Department of Design and Construction. These comments – and the as-yet uncounted number that so many of you mailed directly to the city – will help shape the environmental impact study now getting under way. As you know, the city proposes to demolish the Natatorium and replace it with an
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Categories: Elected officials, Environmental Impact Study, Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Statement, and Uncategorized.
Tags: EIS, environmental impact statement, environmental impact study, Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Waikiki Natatorium.

The Natatorium Needs You. Submit an Official EIS Comment.

27-Jul-14 | 2 Comments

The clock is ticking! If we’re going to save the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, we need your help shape the draft of the environmental impact statement. Make sure your voice is heard before the Aug. 22 deadline for public comment. The Background Here’s the situation: Two days after the open public meeting on the Natatorium last week, the City and County of Honolulu published what’s called an “environmental impact statement preparation notice.” [Note: It’s a 141-page PDF.] Now, after a 30-day public comment period, the city’s planners will write a draft environmental impact statement. Another public comment period will follow,
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Categories: Elected officials, Environmental Impact Study, Friends of the Natatorium, Statement, Support, and Uncategorized.
Tags: EIS, environmental impact statement, environmental impact study, Friends of the Natatorium, Waikiki Natatorium, and World War I.

Honolulu's Architects: Restore Natatorium and "Preserve an Essential Piece of our Soul"

17-Nov-13 | 2 Comments

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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Categories: News coverage, Statement, and Uncategorized.
Tags: American Institute of Architects, op-ed, Star-Advertiser, Waikiki Natatorium, and World War I.

Today's Natatorium News: Speak Your Mind Now!

30-Apr-13 | 14 Comments

This is terribly disappointing. But this is not over. The mayor and governor announced today that they are restarting the city’s environmental impact study. But there have already been multiple studies. They show that you can’t demolish the pool and build a new beach without breaking the law. And not just one law: lots of them, state and federal. If this study is done correctly, it will reach the same conclusion. If it isn’t done correctly, well, the natatorium will have its day in court. The shame is that we’re wasting yet more time. We shouldn’t be fighting in court.
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Categories: Elected officials, Friends of the Natatorium, News coverage, Statement, and Uncategorized.
Tags: Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Kirk Caldwell, and Waikiki Natatorium.

Guest post: Happy 85th birthday, Natatorium!

24-Aug-12 | 6 Comments

Donna L. Ching, vice president of the Friends of the Natatorium, submitted this letter to the editor of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser marking today’s 85th anniversary of the opening of the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. Eighty-five years ago, on Aug. 24, 1927, Duke Kahanamoku dove in to take the ceremonial first swim at the War Memorial Natatorium. In his wake came other Olympians, swimming celebrities and generations of keiki and kupuna swimmers. The Natatorium was the jewel of Waikiki and the pride of Hawai’i. It was the site of international swimming competitions. It was a place of relaxation and fun for
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Categories: Friends of the Natatorium, History, Statement, and Uncategorized.
Tags: Donna L. Ching, Duke Kahanamoku, Friends of the Natatorium, Star-Advertiser, and Waikiki Natatorium.

URGENT: Support House resolution on Natatorium by 4 p.m.

21-Mar-12 | Comments Off on URGENT: Support House resolution on Natatorium by 4 p.m.

We need your help today!!! Here’s what’s happening: Two state House committees will hold a joint hearing tomorrow — Friday, March 23 — on an important first step towards action on saving our Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. The committees will consider HCR 194, a resolution asking the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene a state task force on the Waikiki Natatorium issue. This is important! Passage of this resolution will put the House and Senate on record as saying “the restoration of the Waikiki Natatorium would benefit the state as a landmark, honor those who served and those
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Categories: Friends of the Natatorium, Statement, and Uncategorized.
Tags: Committee on Tourism, Committee on Water, Hawai'i Legislature, HCR 194, House of Represenatives, Land and Ocean Resources, and Waikiki Natatorium.

Great Star-Advertiser op-ed on the Natatorium! Read it and post a comment in support

19-Oct-11 | 3 Comments

A very powerful and eloquent opinion piece in Wednesday’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser, calling for action that has been delayed far too long: action to preserve and then restore the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. Six respected leaders joined together to issue this call. Leaders from the Hawaiian community, from the military, from the veteran community, from our water sports community, and from the professional engineering community. If you are a subscriber to the Star-Advertiser, you can read the op-ed here. Once you’ve read it, please join the lively debate in the comments. Speak your mind. Speak up for the Natatorium! If you’re
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Categories: Friends of the Natatorium, News coverage, Statement, Uncategorized, and Veterans.
Tags: Benjamin Mixon, Brian Keaulana, Peter Apo, Star-Advertiser, Steven M. Baldridge, Waikiki Natatorium, William M. Smith Jr., and William Y. Thompson.