By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
City workers prepare the pool at the Kalihi Valley District Park
for an application of epoxy paint. The paint is a temporary fix
that will allow the pool, closed April 19, to reopen. The pool
will be lined with permanent ceramic tiles in the fall.

Kalihi pool will
reopen for summer,
officials say

Epoxy paint will offer a
temporary fix; permanent repairs
will begin this fall

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-Bulletin

The swimming pool at Kalihi Valley District Park could reopen as early as Monday, city Parks Director Bill Balfour said.

City officials have decided to take out a troublesome vinyl lining and replace it with a temporary epoxy paint surface for the summer.

"We're hopeful it's going to last through the summer," Balfour said.

The city closed the pool April 19 after experiencing continuing problems with the lining, which had holes and tears.

Balfour said the fix is temporary and will cost the city between $2,000 and $3,000 in paint. City employees are doing the job.

The pool will be closed again sometime in the fall to allow for a permanent, ceramic tile lining to be installed. The City Council approved $450,000 for the tiling last week.

The lining was taken out yesterday and replastering was to take place today.

"Hopefully, Saturday we can paint in the epoxy paint, and Sunday fill the pool," Balfour said.

"That's the general plan so that Monday the pool can be available for use," he said.

No decision has been made on when the pool will close again to put in the permanent lining. City officials believe installing the tiling will take about five months.

The closing of the pool in April left hundreds in the Kalihi-Palama area without a public swimming facility.

A number of summer swimming programs that have used the pool in the past, including some run by the Kalihi YMCA and the city's Summer Fun program, were forced to find alternate sites.

Originally built in 1976 with a plaster lining, the pool was relined with vinyl in 1995.