Question: Is the pavilion at Old Stadium Park made available on a first-come, first-served basis? Is that why homeless people and their unleashed, constantly barking dogs are able to stay there throughout the day and night, day to day? They use fireworks at night continuing through the holidays. HPD is there probably checking for drugs. When is the pavilion available for others?
Answer: Nate Serota, a spokesperson for the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation, responds:
“Yes, city park pavilions are available on a first-come, first-served basis as they cannot be reserved through a permit. When a park is open to the public it is open to everyone regardless of their housing situation. We do not discriminate the usage of public facilities based on someone’s socio-economic status.
“However, having threatening animals in a park, or engaging in any other illegal activity (such as possessing or using illegal fireworks), is something that should be reported to the Honolulu Police Department immediately.
“It is also illegal for anyone to store personal property on public land without prior authorization. To this extent, we coordinate with HPD and the Department of Facility Maintenance on Stored Property Ordinance enforcement. This location, at Old Stadium Park, receives regular enforcements.”
We’ll add that there shouldn’t be anybody in the pavilion after 10 p.m., which is when the park closes nightly, according to the DPR website. The park, in Moiliili along South King Street near Isenberg Street, opens at 5 a.m.
Kokua Line receives frequent complaints about homeless people living in city parks, especially in urban Honolulu, using drugs, exhibiting signs of mental illness or continuously occupying spaces, such as pavilions, restrooms or play courts, that otherwise would be available to neighborhood families with young children wanting to play in the park. While some neighborhood residents use the park regardless, others are intimidated and avoid the location, lamenting the loss of taxpayer-funded resources they say should be available to all and not be dominated by homeless campers.
Q: Is there a place where you can get a firecrackers permit?
A: You’ll need to purchase your permit online and pick it up at the location designated on your order, according to the Honolulu Fire Department, which directs consumers to the HFD Firecracker E-Permit System at www1.honolulu.gov/hfdfireworks “to view the rules and regulations and submit your request. The paper permit application process was discontinued.”
You must be at least 18 years old and have a valid photo ID to purchase a permit.
Each permit costs $25 plus a 59-cent service fee and entitles the holder to buy up to 5,000 firecrackers. Multiple permits can be purchased for the same firing location. It takes five business days to process each permit. Visa, Mastercard and Discover Card are the only acceptable forms of payment, the application says.
A permit must be purchased at least 10 days before its date of use. “For example, December 21st is the last day to purchase a firecracker permit for New Year’s Eve,” the HFD site says.
Once processed, a firecracker permit for New Year’s Eve can be picked up during regular business hours at the Ala Moana, Kapolei, Pearlridge or Windward City satellite city hall — you’ll choose your pickup location during the online transaction.
By law, firecrackers, with a permit, can be used on Oahu only from 9 p.m. New Year’s Eve to 1 a.m. New Year’s Day. Firecracker permits also are issued for Chinese New Year’s Day (for use 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.), Fourth of July (1 to 9 p.m.) and a variety of cultural events (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.).
Mahalo
I’d like to thank the good Samaritan who found my cellphone near the blue mailbox fronting the Kapalama post office on Nov. 27 and turned it into the post office. I was so happy and relieved to get it back. Aloha and mahalo! — Gratefully, Jenny
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
