Question: Why has the city Department of Parks and Recreation not removed the layers of fiberglass on the grounds of the exercise park at Kapiolani Community College? Portions of the mats are exposed and present a potential health hazard to the many people who exercise there. I reported the exposed fiberglass more than a year ago, with follow-up calls and email messages last December, but there has been no corrective action.
Answer: The exposed material is not fiberglass nor anything hazardous, according to an official with the city Department of Transportation Services.
“It’s not a health concern,” he said, describing it as “some kind of synthetic material” that’s “not toxic or anything.” It is used as a base layer under the wood chips. “The base layer shifted over time and just needs to be put back under the wood chips.”
However, whether it’s the city or Kapiolani Community College that is responsible for maintenance has become a point of contention.
Transportation Services, not the Department of Parks and Recreation, is involved because it built the bicycle staging area where the exercise station was.
After we relayed your concerns to city officials, it took a while to get a response. Then we were told “it is our opinion” that the exercise station is on KCC’s property so “they should maintain it. … The city agreed to maintain the comfort station but there was an exercise area there before we built the bike staging area.”
DTS said it would send a letter to KCC officials “asking them to maintain the area and informing them of the complaint that you received.”
However, University of Hawaii officials see it otherwise.
“Our reading of the contract between UH and the city shows the city is responsible for maintaining this particular area,” said Lynne Waters, UH associate vice president for external affairs.
When we wrote about the opening of the new comfort station and bike staging area in 2006 — archives.starbulletin.com/2006/07/19/news/ kokualine.html — a then-city spokesman told us “the city will maintain the facility, but the school will be responsible for opening and closing it …”
At last check, the issue remains unresolved.
The $699,200 Waialae Kahala Bicycle Staging Area was a Waialae Kahala Vision Team project developed during the administration of Mayor Jeremy Harris.
Medication Take-Back
Anyone with unused or expired medications can dispose of them, no questions asked, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 as part of the National Take-Back Initiative. The Oahu locations are: the state Capitol (drive-through area facing South Beretania Street and fronting the Father Damien statue; Kahala Mall (inside the mall, Kilauea Avenue end); Town Center of Mililani (bandstand area); and Windward Mall (center court).
Auwe
To HPD for citing regular, upstanding citizens playing tennis a few minutes after Ala Moana Park closes (Kokua Line, Sept. 15): I was just commenting to my friend as we did our usual exercise routine walking around Magic Island/Ala Moana Park that I wondered if HPD was still enforcing the park closing hours. It seems the homeless population on the mauka side of the park along Ala Moana Boulevard is getting bigger every day. A group opposite Sears numbers close to 10 individuals who have all their clothes hanging in the trees! The bus stop near the Waikiki side always has three to four people camping. It’s pretty sad to see them lying there when all the tourists are waiting for buses. We’ve also noticed that the supposed shopping cart ban from the park must also be going unenforced because the homeless are bringing those in the park as well. I guess it’s much easier for HPD to cite citizens for staying a few minutes late than moving out the homeless.
— Reid
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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
