The fate of the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium is the longest-running drama west of Hollywood.

The monument to World War I soldiers, state-owned and city-managed, has been a civic battleground since 1979, when the state Health Department shut the saltwater pool next to Kaimana Beach over water quality concerns.

The grand swimming stadium where Duke Kahanamoku once competed is now a crumbling, fenced-in eyesore blighting Hawaii’s most iconic shoreline as politicians and interest groups wrangle endlessly over whether to restore the natatorium or tear it down to expand the public beach.

Former Mayor Jeremy Harris fought for restoration and got a wary City Council to put up $11 million, but he was stalled by tougher state water quality regulations that drove up repair costs and lawsuits by nearby residents who wanted the memorial torn down.

Former Mayor Mufi Hannemann dropped the Harris restoration and strongly hinted he favored demolishing the pool and grandstand and saving only the facade, but left office with no resolution.

Former Mayor Peter Carlisle said he wanted to gather more information; he wasn’t around long enough to gather limu.

With much fanfare in 2013, Mayor Kirk Caldwell and former Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced an agreement to end the debate by razing the swim stadium, expanding the beach and moving a restored archway inland to serve as a veterans’ memorial.

They said the plan would cost an affordable $18 million, compared to $70 million for restoring the stadium and pool.

So it was finally settled?

“I’m committed 100 percent,” said Caldwell.

“I guarantee it,” said Abercrombie.

It turned out Abercrombie couldn’t guarantee his re-election the next year, and three years later, the Caldwell administration is still in the early stages of an environmental assessment that’s at least two years from completion.

Given Caldwell’s political problems from presiding over a possible doubling of Oahu rail costs, a dismantling of city ethics enforcement and loss of the Honolulu Zoo’s accreditation, the natatorium could potentially be a new mayor’s problem after November.

And Gov. David Ige? His spokesperson was asked if he’s on board with the 2013 Abercrombie-Caldwell agreement and responded, “The governor says he’s unaware of the agreement that you refer to between former Gov. Abercrombie and Mayor Caldwell.”

Stepping into the vacuum, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is floating a new scheme to fully restore the pool and grandstand using advanced structural and water circulation technology that it claims would cost less than previous estimates.

Taken all together, it looks a lot like square one.

After being left to decay for 37 years, the Waikiki Natatorium in no way honors the fallen heroes of World War I.

Perhaps we should encase it in glass and rededicate it as a permanent monument to political futlessness.

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com or blog.volcanicash.net.