Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Tours of water tunnels
and xeriscape still on holdQuestion: A recording at the Board of Water Supply continues to say all tours will remain suspended due to security concerns brought on by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. That includes the Halawa Xeriscape Garden and Halawa Shaft. When, if ever will the Halawa tunnel tour resume?
Answer: It doesn't look like any time soon.
The board suspended tours to Halawa Shaft, Waihee Tunnel and the Honouliuli water recycling facility, and closed the Halawa Xeriscape Garden on Oct. 2. It also canceled workshops, classes and wedding reservations, and stopped taking reservations for the Fred Ohrt Water Museum.
The board is continuing to work on security improvements and still cannot allow public tours into any tunnel or "sensitive water resource areas," according to the Board of Water Supply.
That includes the Xeriscape Garden because of its proximity to a sensitive area.
However, the board does allow limited access tours for schoolchildren at its Kalihi Pumping Station and also has a tour of its Honouliuli Water Reclamation Facility. Call 532-6546 for information about the latter.
A spokeswoman said the board hopes to offer more opportunities for water education activities "in the future" and appreciates the public's patience in the meantime.
Q: Is progress being made at Kahala Nui, a retirement community, near Star of the Sea School?
A: Actually, Kahala Nui will be built on the campus of Star of the Sea Church and School, at the Ewa end. The project is being developed by the not-for-profit Kahala Senior Living Corp. on a 60-year lease with the Catholic Diocese, according to Joyce Timpson, vice chairwoman for the corporation.
The project is targeted to start construction at the end of the year and take about 20 months to complete.
Timpson explained there are three types of retirement communities: for-sale condominium projects, such as One Kalakaua; rental communities, such as the Hawaii Kai Retirement Community; and CCRCs -- "continuing care retirement communities." Kahala Nui will be a CCRC, where putting a "deposit" down "guarantees that you will have a place to live for the rest of your life."
The deposit is meant to be equal to the median price of homes in the immediate neighborhood. Kahala Nui prices currently range from $363,000 for a one bedroom, one-bath unit to around $750,000 for a three bedroom, two-bath unit, Timpson said.
There is also a monthly fee, which covers maintenance, utilities, meals, services such as shuttle transportation and once-a-week cleaning but excludes upgraded cable and telephone service, Timpson said. The fee would remain the same even if you no longer could live in an independent-living apartment and require assisted care or nursing care, she said.
If you die or decide to move out of Kahala Nui, 90 percent of the deposit is refunded to you or your estate, Timpson said.
The project calls for 258 independent-living apartments; 60 nursing beds; 30 assisted-living suites; and 30 "memory support" suites, for people with Alzheimer's or dementia.
For more information, call 737-1900.
Mahalo
To Tom, Arnold and Helen at Bert's Service and Sales for their kind help when I drove in with smoke coming from the hood of my car. Oil had spilled over and made a mess. They would not charge me for the trouble I caused them. Thank you also to the lady who tried to help earlier off of Hauoli Street. You were right -- it was the oil. -- Grateful Driver and Dog
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Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
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