KAPA‘A — For Jerome “The Shadow” Freitas, the county promising a fix of the eight-foot-high, broken, rusted and leaning fence separating Kapa‘a Beach Park from Kuhio Highway is playing like a broken record. Lenny Rapozo, director of the county Department
KAPA‘A — For Jerome “The Shadow” Freitas, the county promising a fix of the eight-foot-high, broken, rusted and leaning fence separating Kapa‘a Beach Park from Kuhio Highway is playing like a broken record.
Lenny Rapozo, director of the county Department of Parks and Recreation, said the fence is scheduled to be repaired, “although we haven’t set a date yet.”
Freitas said he’s heard that line for at least a year, that he dropped pictures off to Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s office showing the potentially dangerous condition, and nothing’s been done.
“Is this how our county works? That’s not the way,” said Freitas, who has fashioned himself as a community watchdog since retiring from state government.
“This is baloney. I blame the administration,” not the working man, he said.
“This is bad. This is too much, and this is on the main highway,” Freitas said.
Freitas said he was told the eight-foot-tall fence would be replaced with a four-foot fence, and also said he was told by workers in the county Department of Parks they didn’t have ladders to fix the fence, and that he should do the work himself as a volunteer if he wants it done.
“I’m not getting paid to do this,” he said of his activism, which takes time in terms of setting up meetings and going to sites where problems exist.
Putting his time and effort into trying to improve his community, and then getting the run-around from the county, and having nothing done to correct situations, is frustrating, he said.
“Over a year they knew about this. All by its own it fell down,” he said. “They don’t care.”
Is there no county money to fix something like this, something that impacts public safety? he asked.
Rapozo also said county officials are eyeing current park use, and will get input from users to determine the park’s future.
“We are also reviewing the types of sports currently being played at the park and will be meeting with different community groups to get their input. It is not our intent to turn this into a passive park,” said Rapozo.
• Paul C. Curtis, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.