Question: During the weekend of July 20-22, the city allowed E.K. Fernandez to operate a carnival in the grassy areas of Central Oahu Regional Park, rather than on the paved areas. This alone would probably not have been so bad, but thousands of people were directed by police officers to park their cars on the grass as well. Due to heavy rain, there was extensive damage to the park. Why did the city consent to allowing damage to the grounds of a beautiful facility unnecessarily?
Answer: E.K. Fernandez, which had to post a $25,000 bond before the event, is responsible for restoring the park to its original condition.
“The carnival staff is currently working on getting the grass area to its condition prior to the event,” Glenn Kajiwara, manager of District V, which includes Central Oahu Regional Park, for the
Department of Parks and Recreation, told us last week.
Carnival-goers were allowed to park on the grass because there was nowhere else they could safely park, he said.
Under Title 19, Chapter 2 of the department’s administrative rules, commercial carnivals are allowed, by permit, to set up at six municipal parks: Ala Moana Regional Park, Maili Beach Park, Keehi Lagoon Beach Park, Waimanalo Beach Park, Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park and Haleiwa Beach Park.
One carnival per calendar year can be held at each site, with at least nine months between events. E.K. Fernandez had staged three carnivals previously at Central Oahu Regional Park, but not in 2010 or 2011, Kajiwara said.
One of the provisions in the rules says parking on grass areas is allowed by written authorization of the parks director.
Carnival operators are required to put up a $25,000 bond or deposit to ensure the parks are cleaned up and restored to their original condition, plus pay a permit fee. The city receives no additional money.
E.K. Fernandez paid $4,712 for its permit.
Kajiwara explained that District V encompasses Central Oahu Regional Park, Hans L’Orange Baseball Field and Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park.
“We have a system where we charge fees for use of facilities,” he said. The fees depend on who’s using the facilities, ranging from nonprofits to commercial enterprises.
But the money collected goes into the city’s general fund, not directly to the park involved, Kajiwara said.
“We’ve never had problems with E.K. Fernandez,” he said. “They’ve been real good about restoring the field to its original condition prior to the event.”
For details on the rules about carnivals, see www1.honolulu.gov/parks/
rules/carnivalrules06.pdf.
Question: We found a box of bullets and a cartridge that appear to be still charged. In the past there have been amnesty campaigns to voluntarily turn in firearms and ammo with no penalty. Will there be another campaign soon, or can we turn in such items year-round?
Answer: “At this time there are no plans for an amnesty program,” said Michelle Yu, spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department.
However, guns and ammunition can be turned in year-round to HPD. Call 911 to have an officer come by to pick up the items, or turn them in at any police station.
“If someone turns in their own gun or ammunition for destruction, the officer will make a report, and the items will be destroyed,” Yu said.
If someone finds a gun or ammunition and turns it in, the officer will make a report. HPD then will check to see whether the property was reported stolen or lost and try to identify the owner.
“In either case the person turning in the property will be asked questions about where the items were found and who it belonged to, if known,” Yu said.
MAHALO
To the honest person(s) responsible for finding our camera at Paesano’s Waimalu. We are forever grateful!
— Tsutsui Ohana
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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.
