Funding from Hawaii County and the state totaling $6 million is bringing the decade-long effort to build Hilo’s first skatepark closer to fruition.
The 2.8-acre parcel of land that was cleared for the skatepark in 2023 near the corner of Manono Street and Pi‘ilani Street across from the Ho‘olulu Complex is still the designated location for the project, Parks and Recreation spokesman Thatcher Moats confirmed.
Rhonda Nichols, project director for the Hilo Skateplaza Coalition, said the skatepark is the first addition to Ho‘olulu since the Walter Victor Baseball Complex was added in 1975.
“This is huge for the local skating community,” said Parks and Recreation Director Clayton Honma. “Skateboarding is an Olympic sport now, and we hope to foster and support this form of recreation and create a positive place for our youth and families. It can also benefit local businesses connected with the skateboarding industry.”
Moats said that although the project still awaits final approval of its design, the current concept “envisions an area of approximately 54,000 square feet for the outdoor park.”
Nichols said the plan for the skatepark “marries the geographic and cultural elements of Hawaii Island and incorporates the rich history of the ahupua‘a o Waiakea.” She said there also will be educational elements presented at the site about how recreational activities enjoyed by the ali‘i and some of the Makahiki games tie into skating and surfing, as well as a planned garden for native plants.
A structural element of the skatepark will be a “volcano” feature to acknowledge the volcanoes that created Hawaii. The volcano will be a “cylindrical cone with a flat deck on top,” a style that can often be found in bowls at other skateparks, Nichols said.
The skatepark project received $5 million in Capital Improvement Project funding from the county in 2023, which will be used for the construction of the basic park elements Parks and Recreation is responsible for providing, including comfort stations, walkways and pathways, parking lots and a concession building, Moats said.
However, because the design for a covered skating rink for roller hockey, roller derby and “indoor” soccer — which was viewed as an important addition by a majority of stakeholders — was left out of the original design, the covered rink was not accounted for in the budget provided by the county.
This funding shortfall was resolved in 2024 by Hilo Rep. Chris Todd of District 3, Nichols said.
Moats confirmed that an additional $1 million in state CIP funding was awarded in the last legislative session, and the impending release of those funds will allow the project to continue forward with a design that includes the covered rink.
Moats said $250,000 of that state funding will go toward designing the covered rink, and the rest is for construction.
Moats said an environmental assessment of the project has been completed by consultants using additional county funding outside of the $5 million CIP. The EA is now in the draft phase being reviewed by the department, after which it will be made available to the public for comment before it is agreed upon.
When the EA is complete and the design is finalized, the project can then advance to the permitting phase, Moats said, and finally to the bidding phase and ultimately the construction phase. While the county is covering the construction of all the park’s basics using the allotted county funding, Moats said its up to the coalition to fund the construction of the skate-specific portions of the plaza, including the bowl with its volcano elements.
When the design and planning phases are complete, the coalition will begin fundraising by hosting community events and having a GoFundMe page in addition to seeking grants, sponsorships and “in-kind donations of materials,” Nichols said.
They plan to use only local businesses and contractors for the work, she said, adding that members of the coalition have also committed to “using private funds and directly contracting with workers for our portion of the build-out,” allowing them to “save a significant amount of money” and “sidestep county procurement rules.”
Nichols said that, if all current estimates hold true, construction on the park could begin as early as the first quarter of 2026.
“We are very grateful to all the supporters in our community that have given their time and energy to keeping this project moving forward,” Nichols said.
Email Kyveli Diener at kdiener@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
