Council boosts skate park plans

Kailua-Kona keiki soon will have new digs where they can practice their flips, pops and slides.

Two Hawaii County Council members dipped into their district contingency funds Wednesday to give a planned skate park a $50,000 boost.

Kona Councilman Dru Kanuha and North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff decided to donate $25,000 each so community volunteers, working with the county Department of Parks and Recreation, could construct the park at the entrance of Old Kona Airport Park. The council unanimously approved the measures.

County Parks and Recreation will provide the materials and is working with volunteers to provide the labor, said Deputy Director Ken Van Bergen.

“It will help us leverage the support of the community,” Van Bergen said.

Long-awaited improvements to the park are slated to begin this summer. The park is expected to cost more than $20 million, he said.

During the planning charrette years ago, community members wanted the 117-acre park to be a more passive, green space. They also wanted to improve the existing play fields, courts, swimming pool and facilities.

Kanuha praised the project and said it’s well worth the money. The park currently is using a temporary facility.

“This will take the kids off the streets so they will have a safe place to recreate and do their thing,” he said.

“I’m sure the kids are going to be really happy,” Eoff added.

Hilo Councilman Dennis “Fresh” Onishi noted that with Kona, Hamakua and Pahoa in the process of getting skate parks, it’s time Hilo got one, too.

Onishi said he plans to get with fellow Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung to see how they can get a skate park built in Hilo.

Puna Councilman Greggor Ilagan suggested the county host skate tournaments where children from the various parks can compete against each other.

Email Nancy Cook Lauer at ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com.