In our innocence and misunderstanding of the nature of Nature, we sometimes make mistakes in the stewardship of our beautiful world.

The Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, the 1920s, "in the ocean" swimming pool, was designed at a time when such pools were the rage in cities across the country. There were the Sutros Baths and the Fleischaker Pool in San Francisco, and public saltwater pools in Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, and other venues around the country. These pools have all been demolished due to health concerns and the enormous costs involved in maintaining structures sitting in the ocean.

The idea for a "swimming pool memorial" was conceived during the glory days of the great Duke Kahanamoku, our first Olympic swimming champion. While the intent of community leaders to honor the brave warriors of WWI by building a "living memorial swimming pool" was noble, the pool design was flawed, and soon became murky and dangerous. A student drowned during a school outing because he could not be seen in the turbid water of the Natatorium.

Dr. Marian Melish, a professor of pediatrics, Tropical Medicine, and Medical Microbiology at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai'i, has testified that the Natatorium swimming pool cannot be made safe. In her professional opinion, the rough-sided and unchlorinated pool poses a risk of harboring, colonizing, and breeding dangerous bacteria such as staph, strep, antibiotic resistant (flesh eating) MRSA, and a number of other dangerous pathogens. Melish said that given the risks, "it is silly to even consider rebuilding the pool."

Nature is relentless on structures built in the ocean, pounding them with wave action, tidal surge, salt water, wind, and sun. Erosion and corrosion are inherent in the process. And it is always just a matter of time before these structures are met with total ruin. The Natatorium is teetering on the edge of that eventuality. The $6 million refurbishing of the Natatorium bleachers in 2002 has failed. Most of the 2,500 bleacher seats have "spalled" and cracked with corrosive salt water rusting the underlying iron rebar.

Personal agendas abound for the next use of this beautiful location. Ideas such as a volleyball stadium, nightclub, and other "special event" commercial activities venue all require a filled-in pool to create a stage/playing area. According to many structural engineers, the current walls are too degraded to handle the pressure of that much fill. All such activities will have a major impact on the surrounding community. And a nightclub would be disrespectful to a memorial site.

It seems fair and natural to remove the decrepit structure and restore the beach. This would open the ocean view plane and create another place for the community to access the ocean, free from the threat of commercialization or special interests.

There is much misinformation regarding creating a new beach. If done with best engineering practices, Kaimana Beach will remain stable and a healthy new beach will fill in the space of the crumbling Natatorium. New restrooms are all that is necessary to create a community-friendly beach area. This plan would cost many millions of dollars less than restoration/re-creation and not require high ongoing maintenance expenses.

According to many polls taken by the media, there is overwhelming public consensus that the time has come to end the suffering and give this precious piece of beachfront back to the ocean.

The community will gain the most valuable commodity imaginable: two acres of new sand beach in Waikiki. What better way to honor the dead than by celebrating life at a true "living memorial" — a rededicated "Waikiki War Memorial Beach," framed by a repositioned Memorial Arch.

Rick Bernstein is the founder of the Kaimana Beach Coalition. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.

Reach Rick Bernstein at (Unknown address).