A 13-year-old Palolo boy is leading the charge for a new skate park in Honolulu.

Will Fischer, an eighth-grader at Saint Louis School, has gotten the support of two neighborhood boards and a state senator for his plan, which would put a skate park on unused state land in Kaimuki.

The Kaimuki Neighborhood Board will consider his idea tomorrow, but unfortunately Fischer won't be there: He has to catch up on his homework.

Instead, Palolo Neighborhood Board member Greg Hutchings will present the plan.

Fischer wants to put the skate park across from Hawaii Self Storage in Kaimuki — at the intersection of Wai'alae and Kapahulu avenues and Kapi'olani Boulevard. The land where the park would sit is owned by the state Transportation Department and has been unused for years. The state is in preliminary talks to put a bid out on a lease for the land, and has said it could lease the property cheaply for a public purpose, according to state Sen. Les Ihara, whose district includes Kaimuki.

Ihara added that the property is perfect for a skate park because it is already noisy, is far enough away from homes and is visible, curbing the possibility of graffiti and loitering problems.

Still, he added, it will take a lot to convince city officials that O'ahu needs another skate park.

"There is a ways to go," Ihara said.

There are 10 skateboarding parks on O'ahu, and one under construction on the North Shore.

Early in his administration, former Mayor Jeremy Harris pledged a number of skateboard parks across the island, but he was never able to follow through on many of them amid budget constraints and concerns over liability. Residents also have complained about the noise from skate parks.

Meanwhile, Mayor Mufi Hannemann hasn't expressed much interest in building new parks with his no-frills budget, which concentrates on backlogged maintenance. The only skate park under construction, at the Banzai Rock Support Park in Sunset Beach, was started under Harris. The park cost about $600,000.

But Fischer is certain he can get a skate park built, despite the funding worries.

"I got Sen. Ihara," Fischer said. "My goal is to have demolition (of existing, vacant buildings on the site) before Christmas."

In addition to support from Ihara, Fischer has convinced the Palolo and Diamond Head/Kapahulu/St. Louis Heights neighborhood boards that his plan is viable. In resolutions passed this month, the boards voted to support Fischer in his bid for a skate park, provided he addresses concerns about noise, loitering and other issues.

Eduardo Hernandez, chairman of the Kaimuki Neighborhood Board, said the park could help get skateboarders off roads and sidewalks, where they can hurt themselves and others.

Hernandez said he has seen skateboarders riding down hilly Sierra Drive, full of blind curves and narrow turns, and along 10th Avenue. They also go to parks where they are not allowed, and there are reports that skateboarders damaged tennis courts at Maunalani Park on Wilhelmina Rise, Hernandez said.

"We're looking to see what options are out there," he said.

Fischer started his crusade in March, after complaining to his mom about the lack of skate parks in Honolulu. The middle school student says skateboard parks on O'ahu are poorly built and crowded.

Fischer's mother, Susan, said she is proud of how far her son has gone to better his community.

"He took the lead," she said. "He's learned a lot. Patience has been his biggest lesson."

In addition to going to the neighborhood boards, Will Fischer has gotten more than 200 people to sign petitions in favor of a skate park in Kaimuki.

Fischer said if he does get a skate park approved, he won't stop there. He wants to help design it, too.

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.