Kokua Line: Who ruined Waipio dog park?

COURTESY HONOLULU DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION

Damaged grass at the Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park dog park seen within the chain-link fence.

Question: Auwe! The grass is ruined at the CORP dog park and I heard someone did it on purpose. Please follow up.

Answer: Honolulu's 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, the department's spokesperson. Someone apparently sprayed a vinegar mixture on the grass, perhaps multiple times, he said Friday.

Parks staff don't know yet whether what's left of the grass can be revived or whether the whole fenced-off area must be replanted, he said, and the reopening date is uncertain.

The dog park, which has separate areas for large and small dogs, is located within Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park in Waipio.

Serota said the department doesn't know exactly what happened, but CORP staff have spoken to people at the dog park who said they saw someone spraying an unauthorized substance, which reportedly contained vinegar. The person apparently was a park user, he said; they did not work for the city.

Vinegar and vinegar solutions are touted online as natural weed killers, and also as a way to neutralize odors. They are caustic to grass. Asked whether 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 go by the outcome, which is that the grass is severely damaged and we consider that vandalism," he said.

Moreover, the parks department is responsible for the facility's upkeep. Regardless of the perpetrator's intent — which is unknown — the city is left to repair the damage caused by the unauthorized spraying, he said.

The department issued a news release Friday asking anyone who witnesses "any further acts of vandalism at this park" to call 911 if the crime is in progress, or call park staff at 808-768-6934.

Q: What's going to happen to the fish in those ponds at the Blaisdell?

A: They’re staying put during major renovations at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, which will include work in the arena, concert hall, exhibition hall and Hawaii Suites meeting rooms.

"The fish are thriving in their ponds and will not be affected by any of the construction, which is mainly interior or in the back of the arena, as these projects are focused on the infrastructure of the facilities," said Mary Lewis, an administrator at the Blaisdell, which is run by the city's Department of Enterprise Services.

The performing arts complex at 777 Ward Ave. is built over "many artesian springs that serve as tropical fish ponds that wind around the Arena and Exhibition Hall and provide a tranquil setting," according to its website, blaisdellcenter.com.

The ongoing renovations will close venues at various times over the next year, the website says. The Hawaii Suites and arena are closed now for work that is expected to be completed late this year, in October and November, respectively. The exhibition hall is scheduled to close for about two months later this summer and the concert hall is set to close for a year starting in July.

Mahalo

I just found out that Tasty Chop Suey is closing for good around June 25. My family has been going to Tasty since my brother and I were kids. That's many years. Tasty has the best-­tasting food. Everything was delicious. It saddens my family because we will never find anywhere like Tasty. The ladies were all 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 sad to see this Kalihi institution go. 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 to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email [email protected].

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