PAHOA — After decades of promises and delays, Pahoa High and Intermediate has broken ground on a new gym — the first the school has ever had.

"The class of 1972 was promised by the then-governor that they would have a new gym," Principal Dean Cevallos said yesterday at a gathering of dignitaries, community members, school staff and students. "It's finally here, and you'll be able to hit the ball high and it won't go into the rafters."
The reference was a poke at the cramped county gym the school has used since 1942.
Speakers — including Mayor Billy Kenoi, state Sen. Russell Kokubun, Rep. Faye Hanohano and Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole — handed much of the credit to Helene Hale, 91, who has been involved in Big Island politics for half a century.
The gym will be named the Helene H. Hale State Gymnasium in honor of the former state representative, who represented Puna in the Legislature from 2000 to 2006, and fought to get the gym built years earlier when she was on the Hawaii County Council.
"She isn't just a servant leader, she's a servant warrior," said Kenoi, who promised to hold Hale on his shoulder so she could take the first shot when the gym is completed. "She's been fighting the good fight longer than many of us have been alive."
The $8.2 million gym will have hardwood floors, bleachers, a concession area and offices for the athletic director and athletic trainers. The 16,000- square-foot building will partially cover an area now being used for outdoor basketball courts.
With a 1,000-seat capacity, it'll be big enough to hold graduation ceremonies that now have to be held at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo.
"It'll be a steel building with masonry walls and most likely will be used as a hurricane shelter," said Jack Ho, president of contractor Primatech Construction of Oahu, which will build the gym. The project should be finished within a year, depending on weather, Ho said.
"We understand the people are looking for jobs and we'll make local hiring a high priority," Ho said.
A common theme was Pahoa finally getting its due.
"It was supposed to happen in May two years ago," Hale said. "I told them I'm 89 and hope to at least see the groundbreaking."
Cevallos said there have been at least three occasions he's aware of where the project almost got off the ground. Design money came through, but construction funds never materialized.
"Helene and Kokubun pushed it through. We're the only school that doesn't have its own gym," Cevallos said.