New Natatorium Brochure: Print Your Copy and Share

We now have a beautiful, informative new brochure on the campaign to preserve, repair and reopen the historic War Memorial Natatorium in Waikiki. You can find the publication right here. You’ll soon start to see this brochure at Friends of the Natatorium events around town. But why not print out a few copies now? Share them with ohana and friends. You can help us get the word out. We’re working to bring the Natatorium back to life because it’s Hawaii’s official monument to more than 10,000 volunteers from the then-territory who responded to the call to serve in World War
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Categories: Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Uncategorized.

Mahalo, Natatorium Supporters. Your Comments: Awesome.

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.

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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Categories: Environmental Impact Study, Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, News coverage, and Uncategorized.

The Natatorium Needs You. Submit an Official EIS Comment.

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.

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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Categories: Environmental Impact Study, Events, Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, News coverage, Uncategorized, and Veterans.

Come Out on July 21: Public Meeting on the Natatorium!

The Time has Come! We need you to stand up publicly on Monday, July 21, for repairing and reopening the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium. An open public meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. that evening in the Kaimuki High School cafeteria at 2705 Kaimuki Ave. Please mark that date on your calendar right now! This two-hour meeting won’t determine the Natatorium’s fate, but it can get the conversation back on track. Here’s the background: Honolulu’s government wants to tear down the Natatorium. [Can you imagine? Demolish an official state war memorial?] Before it can act, the city is required by
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Categories: Elected officials, Environmental Impact Study, Events, Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Uncategorized.

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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Categories: History, National Trust for Historic Preservation, News coverage, and Uncategorized.

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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Categories: Friends of the Natatorium, National Trust for Historic Preservation, News coverage, and Uncategorized.