Pictures are worth a thousand words. The photo to the right shows the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium in 1928 and the abscence of beach to either side. Before the Natatorium was built, the natural coastline did not include the sandy Kaimana Beach that we enjoy today. If sand was present, it would quickly wash out to sea.
As time has shown, the Natatorium's pool provides shelter from the ocean current so that sand can stay ashore to form Kaimana beach. (See photo, right.)
Demolishing the Natatorium would cause Kaimana beach to return to its natural state: a rocky shoreline. Those who want to demolish the memorial natatorium have struggled since the 1960s to find a way to demolish the pool without destroying Kaimana beach. This involves building groins similar to those found elsewhere along Waikiki's shoreline (upper left in photo) along with similiar struggles to constantly replace the sand that the ocean reclaims.
The bigger problem with this option is that demolition, building groins in an enviromentally protected coastline, clearing demolition material, rebuilding facilities and importing massive amounts of sand costs more than full restoration. The 2008 Army Corps of Engineers estimate for the construction of the beach and groins, once added to demolition costs is, at best, the same as complete restoration. Cost comparisons are detailed here.
SAVE SANS SOUCI BEACH!
More About the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium
Restoring the Pool is critical to save Sans Souci (Kaimana) Beach.
Above: The Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium in 1928. Note the natural shoreline and the abscence of beaches surrounding it.
The Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium today shelters Kaimana Beach from erroding. Note the coral reef proximity to the Natatorium Pool.
The photo above is from Wil Chee Planners May 2009 presentation of options for the Natatorium site to Mayor Hannemann's Natatorium Task Force. This conceptual drawing shows what the area will look like under the city's proposed shoreline restoration project which requires the demolition of the War Memorial Natatorium.
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