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Palolo pool opens
after lengthy delays
The renovation work passes
city inspection to widespread delight
Eight-year-old Michael Dean held a towel in front of the Palolo Valley District Pool entrance and yelled to the manager through the chain-link fence, "Is the pool going to be open?"
"Pretty soon ... in about 10 minutes," the pool manager responded.
At 3:15 p.m. yesterday the renovated Palolo Pool reopened to the public after being closed for a year. The reopening came seven months after the renovation was supposed to be finished.
Michael and his sister, Jennifer, were the first to enter the pool.
"I get to do back flips and walk on my toes and do one-handed handstands in the water," said Michael as he placed his T-shirt and towel in a cubbyhole.
More neighborhood children started to walk through the entrance as they talked to each other in amazement.
"Long time this pool never open," said a teenager as he walked toward the bathroom to take a shower before taking a dip.
Workers filled the Olympic-sized pool with water yesterday morning after it passed inspection Saturday. The Department of Design and Construction then turned it over to the Department of Parks and Recreation.
"It's been a long wait," said city spokeswoman Carol Costa. "We're happy to see it reopen for the Palolo community."
The public is advised to call the Palolo Pool at 733-7362 to find out the daily schedule this week as the pool gets adjusted to the new pump and filter system. The pool was available between 3:15 and 5 p.m. yesterday.
A regular schedule is expected to be available by Monday, said Costa. Meanwhile, staff members are working on registration for classes and a lifeguard schedule.
KD Construction Inc. was hired by the city to repair Palolo Pool at an estimated cost of $330,000.
The pool was expected to reopen in February, but the city determined that the work done by KD Construction's subcontractor, A-1 Construction, was unacceptable because some tiles were not sticking to the pool floor properly.
A dispute between KD Construction and the subcontractor, more tile and adhesive problems and rainy weather in Palolo Valley further delayed the pool's reopening.
Tim Steinberger, director of the Department of Design and Construction, said there were no additional costs for extra repairs made to the pool.
Kaimuki resident John Griffin, a regular pool user, stopped by shortly after the pool reopened to make sure it was available to the public.
"I'm delighted this miracle of the government has been produced," said Griffin, who plans to return today to do laps.
Darlene Nakayama, chairwoman of the Palolo Neighborhood Board, said she was glad that the pool finally reopened yesterday for the children and senior citizens, but was disappointed at the timing.
"It's kind of late now. We missed the whole summer. It's better late than never," she said.
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