Kīhei Aquatic Center Fee Rumors Untrue

An official with Maui County has confirmed that the rumor regarding a fee at Kīhei Aquatic Center is untrue.

There were numerous social media posts stating the county was going to charge $8 to $9 for use of the pool, that the county was trying to make all public pools private, and that it was going to be made into a water park. However, after speaking with Kīhei Community Association President Mike Moran and Maui County Communications Director Rod Antone, those reports are all false.

An open house for district park plans was held in Kīhei on Thursday, Sept. 14. County members, lifeguards and members of the Kīhei community came and went while asking questions regarding the rumors.

Mike Moran, Kīhei Community Association President, said the meeting was well-attended and that at one point there were 40 people in the room, yet it was hard to count an exact number as people were in-and-out.

“People attended the meeting to get correct information,” Moran said. “We got information from the Park Director, Deputy Director and consultants who said that nothing has been decided.” Moran told Maui Now that county officials said there had been no decision on anything and that the concept of a water park was far-fetched and there was never any consideration to get anything like that.

“We asked specifically about a fee and they said that hasn’t even been discussed,” he added.

Moran alluded to the fact that the rumors started as hearsay due to Mayor Arakawa’s proposal to shut down Waiehu Golf Course due to budget reasons, however, multiple people started saying they were getting information from lifeguards regarding the matter.

“Some of the people claimed they were getting information from lifeguards at Kīhei pool, but I don’t know if it’s factual or not,” he said.

Antone told Maui Now that a discussion, involving a lifeguard, about a meeting during an aerobics class was taken out of proportion by someone in the community.

“It’s an untrue rumor,” Antone said.

He added that there are signs posted at the pools, like the Upcountry pool in Pukalani, that ask the community what they want at the pool, if they want more senior aerobics, kids activities, slides, etc. and that the County has scheduled public meetings to gather and ask the public what they think. The scheduled public meetings are available on the Maui County Parks and Recreation website.

In regards to a water slide at the pool Antone said that if it was proposed then a discussion involving costs and how much people may, emphasizing may, have to pay would then go to the county council.

“We’re not and we can’t decide we’re going to charge $8-9, you have to go to county council first,” he said.

Antone added that the lifeguard involved in the rumors regarding a fee was at the Kīhei meeting last week and dismantled the rumors as well.