By Zaldy Coma
BAGUIO CITY – Some P500 million funds were committed by Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat to the city government for the rehabilitation of the 34-hectare Burnham Park complex to significantly improve the state of the city’s premier tourist destination.
WALKING TOURS - Young Burnham Park visitors walk past a Walk Meter Chart, which encourages tourists and local residents to walk to nearby destinations. (Zaldy Comanda / MB FILE PHOTO)
Mayor Benjamin Magalong, said the commitment was made by the tourism official during a recent meeting on the prospects of rehabilitating the city’s premier tourist destination to be at par with other frequently visited parks in the country.
The city government earlier estimated around P300 million will be needed to implement recommended developments inside the park pursuant to the approved comprehensive master development plan which will still be subjected to public consultations and recommendations by the concerned stakeholders.
Magalong said, among the initial plans for the rehabilitation of Burnham Park include the improvement of the Melvin Jones football field, the provision of a fountain and re-development of the Burnham lake, a senior citizen’s park near the children’s park, a creative center, the facelift of the Rose Garden and the development of the Pine Trees of the World within the Burnham Park complex.
Part of the proposed plan is a multi-level parking structure in the existing Ganza parking area, the construction of a two-basement level parking within the creative center area which will be located in the site of the old city auditorium and a multi-level parking structure within the Baguio Athletic Bowl.
Magalong claimed the national government is providing the city government with funding assistance in recognition of its good governance practices. The funds will be downloaded to the city anytime as soon as the same will be made available by the tourism department.
The city government tasked a technical working group (TWG) composed of government and private architects to prepare a comprehensive master development plan of Burnham Park using the earlier master development plan donated by the University of the Cordilleras (UC) and other available reference materials as their basis in formulating the said plan, update it, and make it conform with the current trends.
The city legislative body approved the proposed Burnham Park comprehensive master development plan subject to the conduct of public consultations and revisions scheduled today that may arise from issues and concerns raised by the public.