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Kokua Line June Watanabe |
Haiku stairway
remains closed
to the publicQuestion: Is the "Stairway to Heaven" now open to the public after being repaired? Do you need any special permits for the venture or fees to be paid? My sister lives near the beginning of the stairway area under the H-3 freeway, but how do you get to the stairs? I found four ways to get there, but all are restricted by the federal government, with "no trespassing" signs.
Answer: The Haiku Stairs, a k a "Stairway to Heaven," remains officially closed to the public.
That's even though the city renovated and repaired the dilapidated stairway -- more than 3,900 steps high -- at a cost of $875,000 last summer.
The stairs were set to reopen last fall, but concerns about liability surfaced after a Circuit Court jury found the state liable, partly for having inadequate warning signs, during a rockfall at Sacred Falls on Mother's Day 1999, in which eight people were killed.
A barrier fence was erected to block access to the stairs. However, many hikers apparently continue to find a way to climb them.
In hopes of protecting itself against lawsuits, the city has hired a consultant -- Meeker & Associates, of Larchmont, N.Y. -- to design signs warning climbers of the potential dangers.
Details of the contract and the amount being paid are not being publicly released, according to Carol Costa, director of the city Department of Customer Services.
Once the stairs are officially reopened, the plan is to have an official interim access through the parking area of the Hope Chapel, on Pookela Street, near the Luluku Interchange, according to John Goody, president of the nonprofit group Friends of Haiku Stairs. It would be about a 1-mile walk from there to the stairs.
Ultimately, the hope is to have access through Haiku Valley, Goody said, although that involves negotiations between the city and the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
At this point, Goody said he wouldn't venture a guess as to when the stairs might reopen.
While awaiting city action, the Friends of Haiku Stairs, relying on volunteers, has been helping to maintain the area.
Auwe
To the noisy family who disrupted the peace and comfort of those paying respect to loved ones at Mililani Memorial Park on Mother's Day. I find happiness when I see family and friends enjoying themselves by gravesides quietly remembering good times. However, on Mother's Day there was no peace, no comfort and no happiness. As I was paying respect to a loved one, a family -- mother, father and two teenagers -- showed up. From the moment of their arrival, their presence was known by everyone. Mom was yelling to daughter to get stuff from the car, and the two teenagers were running all around the graves like it was a playground. To top it off, they even had a volleyball that they hit back and forth. I was awed by the ignorance of these people. There is a time and place to have a boisterous and rambunctious party, but not at a cemetery. If it were little children running through the grave, I would be more understanding, but these were young adults. -- Rob
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Useful phone numbers
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