Question: Why did they close the Kaneohe pool? It’s still summer for a lot of kids.
Answer: The Kaneohe District Park swimming pool at 45-660 Keeahala Road closed Monday for repairs and upgrades that include modifying the water circulation system and installing a new pump, according to a spokesman for the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation. The work is expected to take four weeks, keeping the pool closed until Sept. 9.
The department apologized for any inconvenience but stressed that the work was necessary to keep the popular recreational facility functional for the long term. Spokesman Nathan “Nate” Serota said the closure was timed to be as least disruptive as possible, occurring after Summer Fun programs had ended — during which more than 500 children regularly enjoyed the pool — and before fall programs began.
The pool also is popular among adults, for lap swimming and other exercise; it is among the most heavily used of the 21 pools in the parks system.
During the closure, the closest public alternative is the Kailua District Park pool at 21 S. Kainalu Drive. The phone number there is 266-7661; call for details on the availability of lap swimming, free swimming, lessons and other activities.
For a full list of city swimming pools, and their addresses and phone numbers, see 808ne.ws/Oahupools.
The repairs and upgrades at the Kaneohe pool will ensure that water flows continuously through the pool, and promote optimal function of the new pump. “Maintaining a properly functioning pump and circulation system is mandatory for pool usage,” Serota said in a news release. “If those systems are not working properly then we must close the pool, so keeping them functioning is a priority of our maintenance services.”
The work is being done by Construction Engineers LLC at a cost of $118,375, he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Department of Parks and Recreation, Serota said that “we, along with the Department of Design and Construction, thank the public for their patience and understanding during this process.”
Q: I didn’t sign my kids up for free lunch, but I think they are eligible. Is it too late since their school has already started?
A: No, it is not too late. Applications for free or reduced-price meals served under the auspices of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs can be submitted anytime during the school year, according to the state Department of Education.
Eligibility is determined by household income and varies depending on the size of the family. For example, a household of three can have a maximum annual income of $42,902 to have children eligible for free or reduced-price meals, while a household of four could have a maximum annual income of $51,708, according to the department.
You can submit an application online, at secure.ezmealapp.com, or fill out a paper application, which you can get from your children’s school, if one has not already been sent home.
Auwe
Auwe to the person who stole a pink-and-gray backpack at the bus stop on the makai side of Ala Moana Center sometime during the night of Aug. 6. To the thief I say: You and people who act like you are killing off the aloha in the Aloha State. Your lack of conscience crushes out a person’s faith in their fellow human beings. There have to be better ways of solving problems than stealing and ripping people off. — A concerned citizen
Mahalo
I want to send a mahalo nui to Courtney Spence, who found my son’s wallet that he left at a gas station in Waipio. My son had placed his wallet on the trunk of his car while filling his tank and forgot it was there and drove off to work. Courtney took the time to find us and personally delivered the wallet to us with everything intact. Courtney works for the YMCA and is an awesome representative of honesty and goodwill. May he be blessed many times over for the goodness he exemplifies! — Barbara “Pua” Iuli
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.
