Waikiki is a district of Honolulu on the southwestern coast of Oahu, the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. All the locals are surfing fanatics, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a single native Hawaiian who doesn’t share the passion for the sport. The public surfboard racks that have served as a second home to Oahu’s surfers for decades may be found nestled on the side of the Waikiki police station. However, back in 2021 a homeless guy who found a lighter on the ground, set fire to it destroyed it within hours.

Waikiki residents have lately complained about the lack of a replacement for the surfboard rack that was burned down close to two years ago. The government has yet to take any steps toward restoring the beach, which has local surfers concerned.

There’s a valid reason for the concern of the surfing community

Locals have been pushing the government to install a new surfboard rack, and Honolulu Civic Beat reporter Kirstin Downey has reported on the matter. The government’s lack of concern is also problematic since it has been 18 months since the arson that destroyed the popular surf rack and there is still no indication of rehabilitation. Linda Kea, a surfer at Kuhio Beach for almost 30 years, is part of a group working to reinstate the surf racks. According to the report by the Honolulu Civic Beat, the group has also posted an online petition in an effort to raise awareness among the global surfing community.

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The people have a vested interest in seeing it restored because of the significance it has in their culture. Duke Kahanamoku, often referred to as the “Father of Surfing,” was born in Hawaii, the same region where the sport initially gained international attention. It was during the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp that the Hawaiian swimmer made history by becoming the first person to win the 100-meter freestyle event in consecutive Olympic competitions. This was after he won his first championship in Stockholm eight years before. With this kind of notoriety, he was able to spread surfing as a sport all across the globe. This is the primary reason why the locals could not dream to abandon the surf rack.

Did the authorities respond to this situation?

A resolution in favor of bringing back the surf racks was approved by the City Council in January of this year. The head of the city’s Department of Enterprise Services, Jerry Pupillo, recently informed the city council that the agency is exploring other locations. This could potentially be in conjunction with a private vendor that can operate the rack with full force again.

Pupillo expressed his confidence, that enough funds would soon be acquired. Yet, no such details were included in the mayor’s new proposed budget for the financial year 2024. The court estimated the damage at $414,000, with the expense of constructing new racks being high. Hence, surfers have been left with no choice but to resort to other means of pressuring the authorities.

WATCH THIS STORY – “Your Surf Shop’s on Fire”: 30-Year-Old Veteran Remembers Getting a Wake-Up Call One Fine Day

What do you think of this step taken by the local community to get back the surfboard rack? Let us know in the comment section.