Park restroom was locked without approval, city says

Question: Every Sunday at Kawananakoa park, a group of men who belong to the AJA Makule League have had a permit to play softball. Many of the wives come to watch their husbands play but have a problem when they need to use the restroom. They have to travel elsewhere in the area to find an available restroom. Only the men’s restroom is available, but it is usually so filthy that the women cannot use it. We know that there is a problem with the homeless and vandalizing of the restrooms, but we want to know if there is a way that we can have a key to open up the ladies’ rest-room and be responsible for it for the day. When we are done playing we will lock it up before we leave the park and make sure the restroom is as clean as it was when we used it. We have tried calling the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation but have not been able to make contact with anyone.

Can you help us get this problem solved?

Answer: Yes. Kokua Line contacted the city on your behalf June 25 and heard back on Friday with the resolution, which involved removing an unapproved lock from the women’s restroom at the park, located on Nuuanu Avenue between Pauoa Road and South Kuakini Street.

You confirmed in an email that the women’s restroom was open during Sunday’s softball game. A Department of Parks and Recreation staff member was present that day and pledged to keep the facility accessible, you said.

As for getting a key, even for an approved lock, that wouldn’t be possible unless your group entered a formal volunteer pact with the city.

Here’s the full response from Nathan Serota, a spokesman for the parks department, who directed his response to you and in doing so highlighted in general how assistance and feedback from park users contribute to a culture of support for all of Oahu’s parks:

“Aloha and mahalo for participating in the active use of Kawananakoa Neighborhood Park.

“It appears that in this particular instance a non- approved, third-party lock was restricting access to the women’s side comfort station. That lock has since been removed.

“Our maintenance crews conduct regularly scheduled cleanings of these and all of our bathroom facilities. We strive to make our park facilities as clean and usable as possible, but addressing vandalism incidents may take some time as they must be worked into that cleaning schedule.

“The Department of Parks and Recreation does not assign keys to park users unless a formal Adopt- a-Park agreement is made concerning the consistent closure/opening of the facility. For a specific event, keys are not assigned to user groups.

“We do appreciate these permitted groups and their active use of the park facilities. We encourage them to please work with the recreation director, who facilitates the permitting process, about any concerns pertaining to our park facilities. Our park users are our eyes and ears when it comes to the suitability of these public amenities. Their input and kokua is very important to us.”

Auwe

Auwe. There is a person in our Pearl City neighborhood who has at least four cats that come into my yard almost every day to do their business. Practically every day, I pick up the cats’ disgusting excrement because it smells, can cause disease and to prevent the kids from stepping or accidentally touching it while playing outside. It would be nice if cat owners took care of their cats and placed litter boxes on their own property for their cats to do their business. There is a law that prohibits a person from allowing their cat to excrete any solid waste on any private premises. — Disgusted in Pearl City

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.