Shell Game?
A reader recently contacted Honolulu Weekly about what he said were missing water fountains at the Waikiki Shell. Without them, he wondered, what option did visitors have but to purchase bottled water–at steep prices– from concessionaires? We checked with City Enterprise Services Director Sid Quintal, whose department is responsible for the Shell, along with the Honolulu Zoo, the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, public golf courses and other facilities. Quintal told the Weekly that construction and ongoing maintenance forced the City to relocate existing water fountains and that more fountains would become available pending future funding. A lower-level department worker told us that the issue involves compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, and that, until the City can ensure that new fountains are ADA-compliant, the Shell offers a single drinking fountain for patron use. That fountain, summer concert lovers, is located behind the box office, in the area associated with the old Kodak Hula Show.
