M. Sara Creachbaum, superintendent of the War in the Pacific NHP/ American Memorial Park, said the department approved the funding to relocate the restroom and the contract will soon be awarded.
“The toilets will be relocated. It’s part of the seawall reconstruction project,” said Creachbaum.
Willie Brundidge, a former sailor, earlier raised concern over the potential environmental nightmare the CNMI and federal governments would face if the sinking toilets washed into the beach frequented by tourists.
Ocean water has seeped into the foundation of the restroom causing erosion, and the steel bars that hold the concrete walls and flooring are now rusted.
Brundidge said the restroom is an important facility at the park.
“When the (toilets) fall on the ocean what’s the public going to use? People frequent the area to have picnics, to barbeque or swim. I want the governor to talk to the federal government to address this problem,” he said during an interview with the Variety in June.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial thanked the National Park Service and the Interior Department for maintaining the 30-year-old federal park which he described as a “historic and sacred site.”
“Thank you for being the responsible stewards and custodians of this important national park, where the lives of so many are recorded, and where memories and reminders of the past are maintained,” said Fitial in his speech on Saturday during the ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the park.
The park, he said is a symbol of peace and a fitting tribute to thousands of U.S. servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice during the liberation of the Northern Marianas.
“For a great many years as well, we had no monument to honor the NMI’s local civilians who perished during the epic battle that took place here in 1944,” said the governor.
Today, the park is home to memories of the fallen soldiers and one of the island’s main tourist attractions.
“It is here, with the flags and names, that we remember the historic events that took place decades ago-the events which transformed our lives today, and which gave birth to a freedom our people had not experienced before 1944,” the governor said.
