June 4—Question: Auwe! The grass is ruined at the CORP dog park and I heard someone did it on purpose. Please continue.
Question: Ouch! The grass is ruined at the CORP dog park and I heard someone did it on purpose. Please continue.
Answer: The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation blames vandalism for the damage, which will close the off-leash dog park for an indefinite period starting Wednesday, said Nate Serota, spokesman for the department. It appears someone sprayed a vinegar mixture on the lawn, perhaps multiple times, he said Friday.
Parks staff don’t yet know if what’s left of the grass can be revived or if the entire fenced-off area should be replanted, he said, and a reopening date is uncertain.
The dog park, which has separate areas for large and small dogs, is located within the Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park in Waipio.
Serota said the department doesn’t know exactly what happened, but CORP staff spoke to people at the dog park who said they saw someone spraying an authorized substance, which allegedly contained vinegar. The person was apparently a park user, she said; they did not work for the city.
Vinegar and vinegar solutions are promoted online as natural herbicides and also as a way to neutralize odors. They are caustic to the grass. When asked if the unauthorized spraying may have been a mistake, but not malicious, Serota was unequivocal.
“We don’t know exactly who did it or why. We base ourselves on the result, which is that the grass is severely damaged, and we consider it vandalism,” she said.
In addition, the parks department is responsible for the maintenance of the facilities. Regardless of the intent of the perpetrator, which is unknown, the city must repair the damage caused by the unauthorized spraying, he said.
The department issued a news release Friday asking anyone who witnesses “any other vandalism in this park” to call 911 if the crime is in progress, or call park staff at 808-768-6934.
Q: What is going to happen to the fish in those ponds on the Blaisdell?
A: They will stay in place during major renovations at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, which will include work on the stadium, concert hall, exhibit hall, and Hawaii Suites meeting rooms.
“The fish thrive in their ponds and will not be affected by any of the construction, which is primarily interior or to the rear of the arena, as these projects focus on facility infrastructure,” said Mary Lewis, administrator . at the Blaisdell, which is run by the city’s Department of Business Services.
The performing arts complex at 777 Ward Ave. is built on “many artesian springs that serve as tropical fish ponds that meander around the Arena and Exhibit Hall and provide a tranquil setting,” according to its website, blaisdellcenter.com .
Ongoing renovations will close the venues at various times over the next year, the website says. Hawaii Suites and the stadium are now closed for work that is expected to be completed by the end of this year, in October and November, respectively. The exhibition hall is scheduled to close about two months later this summer and the concert hall will close for a year from July.
Mahalo I just found out that Tasty Chop Suey will be closing for good around June 25th. My family has been going to Tasty’s since my brother and I were kids. Many years. Tasty has the best tasting food. Everything was delicious. It makes my family sad because we will never find a place like Tasty. All the ladies were friendly with excellent customer service. Mahalo, Tasty, for good food and good service. We will miss you.—Debbie K.
Editor’s Note: Many readers will be saddened to see this Kalihi institution disappear. The restaurant opened in 1956 and has been at its current location, 1606 Gulick Ave., since 1963, according to a Honolulu Magazine article last year about Hawaii’s oldest restaurants. —— Write Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email [email protected].——
