WAILUA — County workers today will begin removing debris from Morgan’s Ponds in Lydgate Park, where “no swimming” signs have been posted due to safety concerns. County Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo said Monday his staff will also work
WAILUA — County workers today will begin removing debris from Morgan’s Ponds in Lydgate Park, where “no swimming” signs have been posted due to safety concerns.
County Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo said Monday his staff will also work Wednesday to remove debris.
On Saturday, the volunteer Friends of Kamalani & Lydgate Park will resume their weekly cleanups after postponements because of the sheer quantity of debris, Thomas Noyes, a coordinator for the volunteer group, said.
“That’s based on an indication we received that the county intended to have some equipment out there over the coming days, provided that the equipment could be deployed,” Noyes said.
The two ponds — a regular swimming pond and a keiki pond — were built in 1964.
The ponds were closed in early March following storms and heavy rains that caused flooding in the park and a spill at the Wailua Wastewater Treatment Facility. The ponds were reopened March 16 and closed again March 29, when the county issued a news release and posted “no swimming” signs along Lydgate Beach and the ponds due to safety concerns.
The state Department of Health has conducted water quality tests twice a week on the ponds. State officials said results, including Monday’s test, will be available this week.
“The ponds will be reopened when bacteria levels have reached an acceptable level,” Rapozo said.
Volunteers used to clean the ponds once a month, but under the stewardship of John Lydgate, the volunteers started to show up every Saturday. It has since become a social event, Noyes said. Volunteers show up at 8:30 a.m., work for a couple of hours and then have coffee and enjoy the rest of the morning together.
The inundation caused by the storm that hit the park in March, however, was too much for the volunteers to clean up by themselves.
On April 14, the Friends of Kamalani & Lydgate Park will get together a little earlier than usual, at 7:30 a.m., to prepare for the group’s major annual cleanup beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Earth Day, April 21.
For more information about becoming a volunteer, contact Noyes at thomasnoyes@hawaiiantel.net, or call 639-1018.
