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Kokua Line

By June Watanabe

City tree is harvested
responsibly

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Question: Why, oh why, does the city cut down a magnificent tree every year for temporary display in front of Honolulu Hale? Every year, they spend time and money destroying a beautiful tree, which is ground into mulch after the holidays. When are they going to wise up and PLANT a magnificent tree in the place where they now prop up the doomed one? We could then enjoy the tree year-round, as well as spare the fate of other beautiful trees.

Answer: The city isn't allowed to plant a tree of that stature in front of Honolulu Hale because the building is on the National Register of Historic Places, according to city spokeswoman Carol Costa.

Because it is considered a historic building, "We cannot alter dramatically the way the building looks from the street," she said.

"You can go back in history books and see the sweeping driveway and the area of grass and plantings, and they look relatively the same."

Honolulu Hale was built in 1928 in what's described as "the California-Spanish style" popular in the islands at that time. Two three-story wings were added in 1951.

Costa took exception to the statement that the city "destroys" a tree each Christmas in order to have a centerpiece for its Honolulu City Lights festivities.

She said each year, people offer Norfolk pine trees on their properties -- for whatever reason -- to the city for the festivities.

"We select the best-looking tree and our parks department harvests and plants the tree for the one-month celebration," Costa said.

This year, however, all the trees offered were found to be too small or not full enough.

As it turned out, there was a suitable tree in a park in Mililani that was available.

Because the tree was uprooting an abutting private-property fence, the owners had asked the parks department to remove the tree. That tree is this year's centerpiece.

"We work so hard to bring this holiday program to the people of this city -- free of charge -- so our island can be united in its celebration of the holiday and feel good about sharing and giving," Costa said.

Auwe

I was at Alii Beach Park in Haleiwa a few weeks ago. There were magnificent waves, spellbinding surfing. It was beautiful. But on the one picnic table at that beach, there was a homeless person who let it all hang out, adding to the smell of the area considerably. It also was frightening. One would think the parks department would have somebody at least watching to see that tourists don't have to see this in addition to what they already paid big money to see. -- No name

(The homeless situation hasn't been a "major problem" at the park, according to the city Department of Parks & Recreation.

(Workers try to monitor situations like the one you describe. But the fine line is to "remind our staff to be aware of such situations while not depriving anyone the right to be there simply because of their appearance," said Craig Mayeda, head of Parks Maintenance & Recreation Services.)

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Useful phone numbers

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Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
E-mail to kokualine@starbulletin.com