Flying high

Behind the high-security entrance gate to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is what many consider the best skate park on the island.

The problem is, if you’re a civilian, you have to know someone stationed at the military base to get sponsored, clear security and be allowed to skate at what is the only all-wooden facility in Hawaii.

Wood is good when it comes to skateboarding because it’s a forgiving surface. Skaters of all ages and skill levels can take advantage of the 15,000-square-foot street course in the middle of the park, with adjoining miniramps, keyhole bowls (swimming pool-shaped ramps) and a 12-foot vertical ramp.

The Hickam Skate Hangar used to be, for you history buffs, a maintenance hangar for airplanes that remained intact after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The successful conversion is thanks to concessionaire and former skater 49-year-old Mike "Big Daddy" Kays, who saw the potential of the location 15 years ago when a skate contest was held there.

With the help of volunteers, he built and expanded upon the temporary structures, using wood bought with Air Force funds and ramps donated from previously held competitions.

Now a civilian, Kays runs the small skate shop near the entrance — complete with a house-brand board — and does regular maintenance and repairs on the site.

It’s a personal mission for Kays, who was stationed at Hickam from 1996 to 2000 and saw firsthand the value of programs for children of those stationed at the base. Kays’ son Chris took the experiences he had as a child, and the now-27-year-old has turned skateboarding into a career, touring professionally as part of the Natural Koncept promotional crew.

"Since my dad grew up skating, I was skating since I was 2, soon as I was able to walk," Chris Kays said.

When he’s not away from the islands, the younger Kays can be seen at the park, giving personal lessons to neophyte skaters and helping teach at regular clinics and camps held there.

Mike Kays said that on the park’s rotating schedule, anywhere from 40 to 70 skaters are using the place on weekends or when school’s not in session. "I’d say it’s an 80-20 percent mix of military-to-civilian kids.

There’s a large wooden emblem display leading into the park with the motto "Don’t Grind on Me," surrounded by autographs of professional skaters, such as Christian Hosoi and Jen O’Brien, who have used the park.

"This park is world-renowned. We’ve had pro skaters come here from Japan, Australia and New York City. They really appreciate the work behind the wood craftsmanship."

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Chris Kays is giving a private lesson to 9-year-old Christopher White at one of the keyhole bowls. Christopher said he comes to the park up to three times a week when he isn’t surfing or playing soccer.

His dad, Army Chief Warrant Officer Chris White, 42, is one of the many parents who watch over their kids at play. "Guys like Chris and Mike are always helping out, and with the parents here, I like that there’s a family environment to the park," White said.

"I used to skate in high school, and I like how Christopher has gained confidence and physical ability through skating. It made me smile when he told me when he first started skating that ‘I feel like I’m flying.’"