Beachgoer petitions to convert volleyball court into parking lot
A petition to take out an apparently dormant volleyball court in front of the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium for badly sought public parking for beachgoers does not appear to be swaying the Caldwell administration.
Amy Brown, a University of Hawaii professor and frequent visitor to Kaimana Beach, said Saturday that the area fronting the Diamond Head side of the Natatorium’s facade was a sandy lot with a volleyball court more than a decade ago.
In 2005, both the Diamond Head and Ewa sides fronting the Natatorium were paved and made into parking lots. But shortly thereafter, the Diamond Head lot once again became a volleyball court.
But the area has not been used as a volleyball court and is “sitting empty,” Brown said. She estimates at least 15 stalls could fit on the Diamond Head side, she said.
Brown has started a petition — both online and the old-fashioned way, by hand — to turn it into a parking lot, just like the Ewa side, where there are now about 20 stalls.
A Kaimuki resident, Brown said she can easily bike to the area. “But families are being denied access to a public beach,” she said. “It’s limiting access to the people of Hawaii.”
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Brown said she’s received about 180 handwritten petition signatures and about 35 electronic ones.
Deputy Parks Director Jeanne Ishikawa said the area Brown is eyeing is a volleyball court, not a parking lot.
“The volleyball court fits the purpose of Kapiolani Park as a recreation area, as part of the Kapiolani Trust,” Ishikawa said in a written statement. Because it is used on a first-come, first-served basis, she said, “a list is not available as to when it has been used.”
Brown said that she’s never seen the court used in 16 years of going there a minimum of two to three times a week. The people she’s approached to sign the petition say the same thing, she said.
An exception allowing for parking for the area is granted on Memorial Day and Veterans Day as part of ceremonies held at the Natatorium, Ishikawa said. But even then, only three to five cars and two motorcycles driven by war veterans are allowed to park there as they pay their respects, she said.
Ishikawa said there have been discussions about improving the volleyball court and possibly expanding its use. “Those discussions are ongoing,” she said.
Brown said that’s the first she’s heard of it.
The longer-range plans for the Natatorium site remain in the study stage.
Robert Kroning, director of the Department of Design and Construction, said city Natatorium consultant WCP Consulting is developing an alternative option for the landmark in its environmental impact statement at the request of the State Historic Preservation Division. A draft EIS is expected to be done in the summer of 2017. The cost of the contract is $1.3 million.
22 responses to “Beachgoer petitions to convert volleyball court into parking lot”
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Amy Brown, UH Professor, is showing they haven’t got a clue with this statement, “But families are being denied access to a public beach,” she said. “It’s limiting access to the people of Hawaii.”
Not true Amy and you know it. There are more than enough beach areas on the island and parking places for them to use. Adding 15 stalls is not suddenly going to make the world perfect, not going to make a dent in available spaces.
Might want to stick to whatever it is you do at UH. Petitions for parking lots is not it.
KOODLES FOR LOCAL GUY!!!!!!!!!!! TOTALLY BACK YOU UP BRUDDA!!!!
im in your corner too
I agree. She’s lying to further her cause. I go to Kaimana several times a week, and I’ve seen people using that volleyball court.
Agreed. I’ve seen the court being used; this lady is on crack.
“…pave paradise and put up a parking lot….”
And the cause? Darn overpopulation. And daily the immigration center is crowded with “new citizens”. Every additional person makes life worse! We are doomed.
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Till it’s gone
Joni Mitchell wrote that song (Big Yellow Taxi) when she was in Hawaii. The line “They took all the trees, and put ’em in a tree museum / And charged the people a dollar and a half just to see ’em” refers to Foster Botanical Garden…
Do not do anything to that area until a final plan is approved.
“Brown said that she’s never seen the court used in 16 years of going there a minimum of two to three times a week.” Untruth, I have seen people playing their before. It would be better if it were all sand.
We’ve been playing there for over 50 years. Some well known players have played with some very talented locals. Great pick-up games n small kine tournaments. Browns barking up the wrong beach…..another cry baby.
Get off your okole and walk get some exercise enjoy the outdoors and malama ka honua
As the song goes: “They paved paradise and made it a parking lot.”
restore the Natatorium
Did anyone quote Jon Mitchell’s song yet?
Sry,JONI.
I have played volleyball there and just recently they had another volleyball get together there….craze lady…keep the volleyball court open….say no to parking lot
I remember Tom Selleck playing there.
Only 215 signatures, especially in this electronic age does not speak to supporting this idea.
MEBBE SHE IS HOPING THE PARKING LOT WILL BE NAMED AFTER HER?
Yeah more pavement…what an idiotic idea. Goes to show she’s not kama’aina and has no respect for the land. She just doesn’t get it! So sad, maybe Hawai’i is just not the place for her.