On Monday, March 15, we will be at the State Capitol participating in Heritage Day from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Come down and check us out! On Wednesday, March 17, we will be addressing the Waikiki Rotary at their noon meeting. It’s never too early to mark your calendar for our annual Memorial Day Service on Sunday, May 30, at 10 a.m. Stay tuned for other opportunities to learn more about the Natatorium.
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Now playing…
The Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium is not only a memorial to Hawai’i history, but itself a part of that history. The world premiere run of a new play, The Three-Year Swim Club, is a good occasion to remind ourselves that this commemoration of Hawai’i’s war dead was always meant as a living memorial, full of activity and emblematic of the way of life that our military men and women fought to preserve. And as a living memorial, the Natatorium has had a unique role in Hawai’i’s history and the history of competitive swimming. This show, written by Lee A. Tonouchi
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Perspective from Honolulu Weekly: The Natatorium at dawn
The Honolulu Weekly has posted a gallery of photos of the Natatorium at dawn, taken by photographer Laura Chartier. She writes of another early morning visitor to the site who saw her shooting her images, approached and began telling her about his memories of “the days of Duke and when his family used to visit.” “I could tell,” Laura writes, “the Natatorium was a special place for him, as it was for so many people.” And as it could — and should, and can — be again. The Natatorium at dawn, photo by Laura Chartier, copyright 2009 Honolulu Weekly
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Images, News coverage, and Uncategorized.
Guest post: Reflections on "The Eddie" and the Natatorium
The sun was up. The crowd was up. Most important, the surf was up. And “The Eddie” was on. One of the world’s most compelling competitions – a surfing contest that organizers refuse to run unless the waves are massive enough to scare the boardshorts off of Neptune – was on. For only the eighth time in 25 tries. That’s the mystique of the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau. A superhuman challenge, one dedicated to the memory of a superhero who “would go” in the face of nearly anything the sea could stir up? Something like that can’t be
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Events and Uncategorized.
Natatorium op-ed: A call for moral and fiscal reason
A hugely respected national voice — Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation — has added that voice to the debate over our Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. His terrific op-ed in today’s Honolulu Advertiser sums it up this way: “Demolishing this historic treasure would be both morally unconscionable and fiscally irresponsible. … While there are plenty of other beaches, there is only one natatorium. The mayor should invest in Hawai’i’s heritage instead of flattening it.” Thank you, Dick Moe!
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Last Living WWI Vet Appeals to Congress
The last surviving U.S. veteran of World War I, now 108, appeared before a congressional committee this week calling for a memorial on the National Mall to veterans of the Great War. Find news coverage of Frank Buckles’ Capitol Hill appearance here, here and here. Well done, soldier! (VA photo by Robert Turtil)
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News coverage, Uncategorized, and Veterans.
Don't let them tell you the Natatorium fight is over
Hawai’i Magazine’s reporter seems to believe that demolition of the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium is a done deal, reporting yesterday that the battle has “seemingly reached an end.” As we reported to you over the weekend, nothing could be further from the truth. The fight has simply shifted to other arenas, arenas the city does not control. For more on that, see the letter to the editor from Peter Apo, president of the Friends of the Natatorium, in today’s Honolulu Star-Bulletin. It’s the third letter down here. As Peter points out, a legal expert from the National Trust for Historic
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The fight for the Natatorium: On to the next round
Mayor Hannemann has now endorsed his own task force’s recommendation that the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium be razed. This is hardly news. It was no surprise in September that an advisory panel appointed by the mayor would provide the advice he wanted to hear. It is no surprise now that he has adopted a recommendation that tracked so closely with his own often-expressed preference. Hannemann’s so-called “partial preservation” plan would destroy the entire War Memorial — pool, bathrooms, bleachers, volleyball courts and parking lot — thereby wasting more than $4 million in completed, much-used improvements and restorative work. Hannemann’s plan
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News coverage, Statement, and Uncategorized.
A Veterans Day tribute
The Friends of the Natatorium join today with our fellow citizens — in Hawai’i and across the country — in honoring and expressing everlasting gratitude to all who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Recalling the words of the famous World War I poem “In Flanders Fields,” we shall not — ever — break faith with our veterans.
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Events, Uncategorized, and Veterans.
Honor them in words and in deeds
Tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day. It is a day to honor all those who have worn the uniform of our country. It is a day to thank them. But it is more than that: Tomorrow is also a time to recommit ourselves as a nation to what the president, in his Veterans Day proclamation, called our “obligation to … fellow citizens who have risked their lives to defend our freedom.” So on Wednesday, the Friends of the Natatorium urge you to honor our veterans. We urge you to thank them for their service. We also urge you to
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Events, Uncategorized, and Veterans.
