Updated at 3:21 p.m., Sunday, August 19, 2007
Thomas Square being closed for cleaning
Advertiser Staff
Beginning tomorrow the city will close Thomas Square for four days to cleanup the park.The park, where homeless advocates say about 20 people sleep nightly, will shut down and reopen with new hours that close the park at night to discourage illegal camping.
Cleaning will include repairs and painting of the bathrooms, fixing picnic areas, landscape maintenance and installing lighting. When the park reopens it will be closed nightly from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
"When the cleanup involves the homeless, we will be cautious," said Mayor Mufi Hannemann. "We did it in Ala Moana and at Maili beach parks. Our parks should be available to all our residents."
The city started closing parks in March 2006 at Ala Moana Beach Park, forcing abut 200 homeless people to find another place to stay. The park shut down for three days and reopened with renovated facilities and new hours.
