Question: Why is there a black-fabric-and-chain-link fence around Mother Waldron Park?
Answer: The 1.76-acre city park, bounded by Halekauwila, Cooke and Pohukaina streets in Kakaako, is undergoing a $580,000 rejuvenation, thanks to Stanford Carr Development, in collaboration with state and city officials.
It is expected to reopen in early September with a new playground and two basketball courts, plus new turf, trees and an irrigation system.
The last time the park, which opened in September 1937, had any sort of face-lift was in 1978.
Stanford Carr is the developer of the 19-story Halekauwila Place condominium building, built as an affordable rental project, adjacent to Mother Waldron Park on the Ewa side.
The project was financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through PNC Bank, the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which oversees development in Kakaako, and through the issuance of federal and state low-income tax credits.
The park improvement project "is beyond Stanford Carr’s open-space requirement, but it represents both Carr’s and HCDA’s commitment to serving the Kakaako community and creating good communal gathering places," said HCDA spokeswoman Lindsey Doi.
Carr explained there were "some unencumbered contingency funds" left over from the project, so "we felt, ‘Let’s give it back to the community.’ Not only will Mother Waldron Park be used by our tenants, but the greater community as well."
He described the project "as a real collaboration" involving the mayor’s office, the city departments of Planning and Permitting and Parks and Recreation, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, as well as HCDA.
Mother Waldron Park was not in the best of conditions, with a broken irrigation system, a lot of old asphalt, two unused volleyball courts and one overused basketball court that was in "bad shape," Carr said. "So we tore it all up and reconfigured it."
The old asphalt was removed and new turf put in. The volleyball courts were removed. New shower trees and indigenous shrubbery have been planted along the perimeter of the park, and all new irrigation lines were installed.
"When we unveil this in a couple of weeks, it will look like a very nice, well-maintained park," Carr said.
Question: I found a lost passport. How could I get this returned to the owner? There’s no address or phone number on it.
Answer: The easiest way is to turn it into the Honolulu Police Department.
You can turn it into any police station or substation or call 911 (say it’s a nonemergency) and meet with an officer, said spokeswoman Michelle Yu.
Otherwise, the State Department advises mailing the found passport in a "sturdy envelope" to: Attn: CLASP, U.S. Department of State, CA/PPT/S/L/LE, 4th Floor, 1150 Passport Services Place, Dulles, VA 20189-1150.
For information on what to do if your passport is lost or stolen, go to 1.usa.gov/1dhIVpQ.
Mahalo
To the person who found my handbag in a booth at the Taco Bell in Pearlridge Center and turned it in. You prevented unthinkable problems for me. May you be blessed with good health, happiness and everything good throughout your life. — Very Grateful Old Lady
Auwe
To whoever stole $40 from a little girl’s backpack. Grandma recently took our kids to Old Spaghetti Factory at Ward Warehouse for lunch. My daughter has food allergies so we carry her medicine in her Hello Kitty backpack whenever we eat out. There also was emergency cash in a zippered pocket.
Grandma forgot the backpack as they left the restaurant. I called the restaurant and they said someone had turned it in. Everything was inside except the money. Whoever took the money, I hope you can live with a good conscience. Shame on you! — Anonymous Dad
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.
