Question: What is the project happening near the bridge over the waterway entrance to the Hawaii Kai Marina?
Answer: Until last week, American Marine Corp. was reconstructing the sandbag groin for the Hawaii Kai Marina Community Association as part of the marina’s periodic maintenance work.
“The groin is there to hold the beach back onto Portlock and to keep it from coming in under the channel,” explained Beverly Liddell, Hawaii Kai Marina manager.
She said the association has wanted to put in a more substantial and permanent rock groin, but “the state just wanted us to put in a sandbag groin.”
Work on the groin, which began in May, was completed last week.
However, workers will be doing maintenance dredging in shallow areas within the marina, probably until Christmas.
“They will be dredging about 13 areas of the marina where the spillways are, like the Hahaione spillway, the Kamilo Nui Valley spillway,” Liddell said.
The maintenance work, done about every 10 years, is funded by the association: “No money from the state,” she said. “It’s completely privately funded.”
She said she couldn’t give a cost estimate “because we’re dealing with nature and so many variables. Even the time frame, it’s really weather-driven … and that affects the cost.”
Kokua Line explained previously that the Hawaii Kai Marina Community Association agreed to take over maintenance of the sand groin from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources about 10 years ago. But whatever work is done on the sand groin has to be approved by DLNR. See is.gd/G6L89i.
Question: This past Fourth of July, I went on a hike to the Aiea heiau and I found the bathrooms were locked. Are they always locked? I think they should be open on holidays, when there’s a lot of usage.
Answer: There are three comfort stations in the Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area, which includes the Aiea Loop Trail.
They are in the lower, upper and middle sections of the park.
The middle section restrooms serve the camping area, near where the trail intersects with the park road.
Those restrooms are ordinarily closed when the campgrounds are closed, which are a half-day Wednesdays and all day Thursdays, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ State Parks Division.
“The park is understaffed” and the middle section comfort station is closed on the days that the campground is closed,” said spokeswoman Deborah Ward.
The Fourth of July fell on a Thursday this year.
But in the future, “We will make sure it is open on any holiday that falls on a non-camping day,” Ward said.
According to the park’s website — www.hawaiistateparks.org/parks/oahu/keaiwa.cfm — the park is open from 7 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. April 1 to Labor Day, and from 7 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Labor Day to March 31. The park is at the top of Aiea Heights Drive.
MAHALO
To Hawaii’s juvenile and adult probation, parole and court officers, as well as support staff. In celebration of Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week, July 21-27, I would like to acknowledge all their hard work. While there are limited resources, they do their best to promote positive changes in the lives of their clients so that they do not recidivate and can build a better future for themselves and their families. This is not an easy task; however, our officers continue to persevere and work together with community programs to improve the circumstances of individuals, which will also lead to a safer Hawaii for all. — Janice Yamada, deputy chief court administrator, Hawaii State Judiciary
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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.
