Kailua’s Park Users Learn To Be Patient

Del.icio.us

Users of the Kailua District Park gym, including sports leagues, exercise classes and community groups, have had to seek shelter elsewhere since the gym’s closing in December from damage caused by a wind-storm and heavy rains.

For Kailua Basketball Association,not being able to use the gym for the bulk of its season was pretty difficult, but KBA president Shawn Christiansen said he knows he and others just have to be patient.

“Our season runs from November through the first week of March,” he said. “Some of our games shifted to Waimanalo; that’s our only real option. It’s just going to take some time on the city’s end to get it fixed.

“Our concern is now would be an optimum time to expand the complex, add more to it, similar to what the city has done in Manoa. We need to look at the long-term use of the facility. Not only does it affect us in basketball - the tai chi, yoga and weight room are out. It impacts the community in a number of ways.”

Like the KBA, Windward Volleyball League, which opens today (April 1), also has had to move its games to Waimanalo District Park. League vice president Danielle Ornellas said they had high hopes for the season, especially with their enrollment spiking to 455 kids and 47 teams.

“We used to have weeknight games at Kailua Rec and occasional Saturdays. We also use Waimanalo gym,” she said. ” It’s hard because the Kailua teams have to practice outdoors. Our games have all been moved to Saturdays at Waimanalo, weeknights at Waimanalo. Kaneohe (District Park), they’re loaning us a handful of nights.

“It’s hard driving to Waimanalo in the evening with the traffic, but everybody understands. We’re just hoping it will be (ready) by next April. Because we have such a high enrollment this year - and 260 games in a matter of nine weeks - some teams play twice a week. It’s just kind of a bummer.Kaneohe was good to help us in that way. We did want to do more games at the outdoor courts in Kailua, (but) we have one day there.”

Collins Lam, deputy director of the city Department of Design and Construction, said that immediately after discovering the windstorm damage to the gym and the other buildings at the park complex, the city instructed its consultants to inspect the damaged roof and design an appropriate fix. The design was completed in January, and the contractor currently is working on the large segment of the gym’s roof that was damaged. The contractor will start cleaning the first-floor offices and meeting rooms next week. The pool reopened March 16 after work was completed on its mechanical system.

“We anticipate that first-floor offices and meeting rooms could be reopened as early as late April,“said Lam last week. “The damaged roof is anticipated to be fixed at or around the end of May, beginning of June.

“The damaged floorings will be bid out as a separate contract in two weeks, and we are hopeful that we will have a contractor on board by May. We anticipate the damaged flooring repair to be completed by early fall this year.”

Opening day for Windward Volleyball League is at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Waimanalo District Park on Hihimanu Street, with games starting at noon. The governor and other special guests will speak.There also will be prizes and booths, including an HPD booth for keiki IDs.

“It should be lots of fun,” added Ornellas.