Unavoidable for Comment
We take a look at political folks frequently found in the media spotlight—very frequently.
Mayor Kirk Caldwell unveils the reopening of the restrooms at Maunalua Bay Beach Park.
PHoto: Office of Mayor Kirk Caldwell
We appreciate a hard-working politician better than most folks. And we’ve seen Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell dig right in since he was elected. He’s worked long lines at driver’s licensing, helped patch potholes and even straddled a sewer pipe in the Ala Wai Canal.
This past Saturday, April 19, he invited us all to go to the bathroom with him.
Specifically, he presided over the untying of a maile lei to re-open the long-awaited and much-needed comfort stations at Maunalua Bay in Hawaii Kai. Reason to celebrate for canoe paddlers, boaters, kayakers and others who spend time at the bay.
This wasn’t just a quick-hit plumbing fix. It seems the facility closed in February 2011 because the old cesspool system violated modern-day state Health Department regulations. The city had to negotiate with the private company that owns the sewer system in that area. Then build a sewer line across busy Kalanianaole Highway and even stop traffic to do it. And the city needed to get permission from Kamehameha Schools for land access to work at Hawaii Kai Town Center as part of the project.
Three years, and a little more than $423,000 later, and the bathrooms are done. Maybe the mayor was right to alert the media.
