How do we honor veterans as monuments decay, funds dry up?

Associated Press

HONOLULU

On the shoreline of Hawaii’s most- famous beach, a decaying structure attracts little attention from tourists.

A few glance at the crumbling Waikiki Natatorium, a saltwater pool built in 1927 as a memorial to the 10,000 soldiers from Hawaii who served in World War I. But the monument’s walls are caked with salt and rust, and passers-by are diverted by the lure of sand and waves.

The faded structure has been closed to the public for decades, the object of seemingly endless debate over whether it should be demolished or restored to its former glory. The latest plan is to replace it with a beach, more practical for the state’s lucrative tourism industry — and millions of dollars cheaper, according to officials. They say a full restoration could cost $70 million.

The monument has challenged the community to maneuver a delicate question: How do we honor those who have served when memorials deteriorate and finances are tight?

Similar debates have been playing out across the country.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation waged a 21/2-year fight to restore the aging Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., when some people proposed replacing it. Far less disagreement surrounded a decision to update the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco after an earthquake in 1989.

In Greensboro, N.C., residents have been grappling with what to do with the city’s own decaying tribute to the soldiers of World War I.

The Greensboro World War Memorial Stadium hosted minor league baseball for decades and even served as a location for sports films such as “Leatherheads” and “Bull Durham.”

Yet, despite continued use by kids and college-level athletes, the structure is falling into disrepair.

The pebbled facade is falling off, and some of the bleachers are blocked off because of crumbling concrete, said David Wharton, a Greensboro resident who is fighting to restore the structure.

It’s been a losing battle. The city rejected two referendums to fund renovations and chose to build a new stadium for minor league baseball instead of fixing up the old one.

As a classics professor at University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Wharton has a soft spot for historic places. But he recognizes there are many other priorities competing for the millions of dollars it would take to restore the stadium.

A city group is exploring different ways to use the space, and preservation advocates hope the monument can be saved even if that means changing the stadium’s purpose.

Sometimes, communities decide that memorials aren’t worth the price.

In Honolulu, the fight over the beachside memorial is far from over.

Hawaii state officials recently announced a proposal to tear down the building and have started analyzing the plan — a process expected to take at least a year.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell says the demolition has been a long time coming. “The greater disrespect is allowing the pool to continue to crumble and fall into the sea,” he said.

Caldwell says the new beach would better serve local residents and plans to preserve the memorial’s arch will honor the soldiers. Demolishing the structure for $18 million is much cheaper than the $69 million price tag attached to full renovation, he said.