BAGUIO CITY– The city government will push through with the construction of a multi-level parking structure in the vicinity of Burnham Park to decongest the 34-hectare primary park of vehicular traffic.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong told the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) and the City Administrator’s Office to work out the requirements that will pave the way for the construction of the long overdue multi-level parking structure within the park.
Magalong said the city will be following the footsteps of Metro Manila local governments that are now putting up their own multi-level parking structures that will be operated by the concerned local government units (LGUs) because it has been proven that the operation of pay parking buildings have also been income-generating endeavors.
He said Metro Manila LGUs have been able to prove that the operation of multi-level parking structures was a lucrative undertaking that was why these cities have reportedly shifted to the construction of their own parking buildings aside from the operation of their joint venture with private companies.
The proposal of the local government to put up a multi-level parking building within Burnham Park was already approved in principle by concerned authorities, and the city was just waiting for some more documents so that it could start with the project.
CEPMO head Atty. Rhenan Diwas said that the final site for the multi-level parking structure has yet to be determined although what seems to be most viable as of now is the site of the old City Auditorium.
He said some P112 million in accumulated savings from projects that were supposed to be implemented in the park will be used for the construction of the parking building.
Diwas said there were several proposals that were submitted by pay parking project proponents for the putting up of either a modular or permanent parking structures in the different sites in Burnham Park such as the former Ganza Parking Area, Orchidarium and the site of the old City Auditorium.