The closure has forced organizers of youth sports leagues to cancel some activities at the popular city park.

Tony Leiato, whose 8-year-old daughter plays in a basketball league at the park, had to change his schedule to fit a reduced game plan halfway through the season.

"We are frustrated that everything scheduled, even practices, has been canceled," Leiato said. "The new gym is like buying a brand new Mercedes and then it sits in the driveway because it is not working."

The gym can accommodate four volleyball or basketball games simultaneously, which allows hundreds of young athletes to take part in games and practice sessions. The teams must now compete for limited space on a single court in the old park gym and practice in the neighboring Manoa Elementary School's outside asphalt courts.

The gym floor, which is padded vinyl material made to look like wooden slats, was manufactured in France and installed by subcontractor Ali'i Flooring in 2002. The gym opened in December that year. Ali'i Flooring is expected to cover the estimated $90,000 to replace the floor in the 'ewa end of the gym, Brennan said, and the company is attempting to make on-site repairs to the other half.

Not only does the new gym floor have bubbles and gaps between sections, but users say there are "dead spots" where a basketball would not even bounce when dribbled.

"They can do some patchwork, but if the patchwork on the diamondhead end doesn't hold, they may have to replace that half of the gym also," Brennan said.

Harris Nakamura, president of Ali'i Flooring, said the company has made some repairs to the floor and hopes that will fix the problem, at least on the diamondhead half of the gym.

"We just did some remedial work and hopefully they will be able to continue using the floor," Nakamura said.

Brennan said a representative from the manufacturer flew in from Europe to look at the floor and determined it was not properly laid. Brennan said the contractor followed the directions they were given when installing the floor, but for some reason it is not holding.

He said it will likely take about four months to complete the work because a new floor has to be shipped from France, and it will take about 30 days to install.

Manoa District Park, which has a 50-meter swimming pool, a gymnasium, softball and soccer fields and basketball and volleyball courts, is heavily used by sports teams across the island.

The city and the state co-financed the facility, which straddles the boundary between the elementary school and the park, and has provided much-needed play courts and assembly rooms as well as classrooms.

Leiato said he wants the gym fixed as quickly as possible, and he will keep his daughter in the league playing whenever courts are available.

"The main thing is to support the kids," he said. "If they have to play on the grass, we will do it."