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This is a 10,750 square feet in area skate park, constructed with concrete, Shotcrete (a "sticky" spray-on concrete mixture), wood, and Skatelite surfacing on the ramps.
In 1996 the Paia Youth Council, Inc. dba Paia Youth & Cultural Center was approached by Alice Lee, Martha Ferris (President - Maui Skateboard Association), and representatives from the Parks and Recreation Department, and the Maui County Council to discuss a community need for a skatepark in the Pa'ia area.
PYCC staff (Susan White and Blaze Anderson) represented a community need and helped identify suitable locations on county property. It was determined that the most appropriate location would be adjacent to the youth center where it could be more easily supervised. Since the youth center is located on private property (A&B), the monies allotted for development and construction were made available by way of a county grant to the Paia Youth & Cultural Center available in 1997.
In March 1997, the "Skate-A-Thon" fund raiser was held in Baby Park. Youth solicited donations door-to-door, as a sponsorship for a 12 hour skate session that included a huge sound system from Pro Sound and 10 bands, lighting generators from HC&S Paia, fish for sandwiches from Nagasako Fish Co., and the support of staff from the Maui Skateboard Association and the County of Maui. Over $2500 was raised that day with 120 skaters.
After much research and designing it was determined that a minimum of 10,000 square feet was required to operate a small skatepark, and more money was needed for completion. Another grant was written to the Atherton Foundation, who awarded PYCC $10,000 towards the skatepark. In 1999 more Parks & Recreation money became available and a second county grant was applied for and awarded to PYCC for a total of $95,000.
From 1999-2001, plans were developed, zoning requirements and permits were researched, and construction estimates narrowed down. In 2002 the Tony Hawk Foundation awarded PYCC a grant in the amount of $1000 towards construction. Additional Community funding was received, including discounted or donated equipment, materials, and labor. Construction began in April 2002, with the issuance of the grading permit. MacDonald Contracting Inc. graded and placed footing trenches, including the excavation and filling of bowl areas.
In June 2002 the Villiaramos Crew placed the wall footings and set the block walls. During that time vandals struck and destroyed some of the wall and various materials for the completion. The site was cleaned and repaired within 2 days with a total loss of over $5000. September 2002 had the crew from RCMC LLC., notorious for building most of the concrete pools and street courses for the VANS Co. skate parks, on site to form and "shoot" the first round of concrete, establishing the bowls. After 5 weeks of intense building more than half of the technical "hard-stuff" was complete, and our budget ran out, including most of the money on "Loan" from a friend of PYCC. The liability insurance for the site also lapsed in October 2002, which kept the site clear for nearly 3 months until a new carrier could be found.
Mayor Kimo Apana designated an additional $50,000 to PYCC as a line-item fund to continue construction, which re-started in January 2003 with plan revisions, permit issues, street course walls and footings, and additional fill work. Many volunteers appeared at this time to complete smaller, important structural projects including drainage and dirt removal/shaping.
In July 2003 the RCMC LLC crew re-appeared on scene, and within 3 weeks, 108 cyds of concrete and $35,000 later the concrete portion of the skate area was completed.
We have been developing, designing, fundraising, and constructing this skate park since late 1996. Funding has been primarily from County of Maui grants, an Atherton Foundation grant, a Cooke Foundation grant, the endorsement and a grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation, logistics support from A&B Properties Inc., the Taste of North Shore fund raiser, and the rest through community donations, volunteers, discounted materials, labor, and lots of sweat!!! |
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