Fate Of Popular Swimming Cove In Kahala Remains Uncertain
A rocky breakwater creates a unique attraction known as Cromwell’s, but it’s been a liability for owners of an oceanfront museum.
贬补飞补颈颈鈥檚 聽voted in April to reject a plan to demolish a swimming cove in Kahala, but the fight to save the site known as Cromwell鈥檚 isn鈥檛 over.
The board denied the oceanfront museum a permit to dismantle one of two breakwaters along a publicly accessible seawall. Dismantling the breakwater, which runs parallel to the seawall, would turn the pool into a rocky shoreline.
operates the museum and hopes moving boulders from the breakwater into the ocean pool will prevent thrill-seeking youths from jumping into the water from the seawall.
from the argues the board鈥檚 4-2 vote denying the permit is invalid because one of the board members, Thomas Oi, did not understand what he was voting on. Oi thought he was voting to defer the issue, not deny the permit, the letter says.
Oi could not be reached for comment Thursday. The board to revote.
found 鈥渘o significant impact,鈥 but the $2.5 million project has generated community opposition.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the only real swimming area between Kahala Beach and Diamond Head,鈥 said Richard Turbin, chairman of the Waialae-Kahala Neighborhood Board. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been there for almost 100 years now and it鈥檚 a recreational asset for the community 鈥
Shangri La is the former home of late tobacco heiress Doris Duke, who had the breakwater constructed in the late 1930s as a swimming pool for her guests and a harbor for her boats.
A seawall borders the cove, which has been a popular swimming spot.
The Kahala neighborhood board unanimously voted last June and again in April to oppose the foundation鈥檚 plan.
The hashtag #savecromwells links Facebook users to calling for BLNR to again reject the permit. The petition had 1,153 signatures Thursday afternoon.
The foundation erected a fence along the seawall in 2014 to prevent people from jumping into the shallow pool. Now people climb up and jump from the the 6-foot-high fence.
Jumping into the basin caused two people to suffer paraplegia and another to suffer permanent quadriplegia, according to the environmental assessment. The Duke estate was sued for negligence and reached undisclosed settlements.
The foundation declined to comment through a spokesperson but in a statement said:
The museum commissioned extensive studies and sought community input to address safety concerns at Cromwell’s. The resulting project is environmentally sound and will allow for the continuation of recreational activities, including swimming, snorkeling and fishing while reducing hazards that have resulted in three cases of paraplegia. Shangri La鈥檚 objective is to make Cromwell鈥檚 safer for public enjoyment.
Thoughts on this or any other story? Write a Letter to the Editor. Send to news@civilbeat.org and put Letter in the subject line. 200 words max. You need to use your name and city and include a contact phone for verification purposes. And you can still comment on stories on.
