Jim Bickerton hits it on the head when he states that the public is increasingly being hemmed in by private interests who control most of the shoreline from the west side of Waikiki to Diamond Head. (“Natatorium planning kept under wraps,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 23).
Public access to beaches and shorelines is paramount in Hawaii. For too long private money has dictated who controls the state’s shorelines that are rightfully the public’s domain.
Commercial beach operations have greatly diminished the public’s ability to enjoy whatour tax dollars have paid for, and the Natatorium should not be appropriated by any single-use group that will serve mainly commercial interests. The so-called repurposing proposal for sand volleyball courts and concert venues, ostensibly for the public’s good, is pure shibai.
Preserve the arches and restore the beach. Continue to honor the memory of our World War I veterans and return this valuable resource to the people.
Kula, Maui
