The local government of Quezon City launched a new bike park and trails in Payatas, Quezon City on Saturday, May 6.
QC LGU/MANILA BULLETIN
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the site of the new bike park was the former Payatas Controlled Disposal Facility (PCDF), which was a landfill and dumpsite.
"The Payatas Controlled Disposal Facility Bike Park proves that Quezon City can build safe and green communities. What used to be a mountain of garbage, is now cleared and can be used for entertainment and sightseeing," said Mayor Belmonte.
Belmonte said the administration had formed a Technical Working Group (TWG) ten years after the closure of PCDF in 2010 to work on repurposing the former dumpsite into a public open space for recreational activities while also promoting environmental awareness.
"This is in line with Mayor Belmonte’s 14-point agenda to build a liveable, green, and sustainable city," the city government said.
The bike park's asphalt roads and off-road trails will be composed of four designated routes, including a 900-meter "Beginner Route" with three detours, and the "View Deck Route" with a scenic view of the park.
The other two routes will be the "Beginner Trail," and the "Perimeter Trail" which features trails for mountain biking, gravel routes, and mild steep ascents and descents.
As of 2023, the city government has established 167 kilometers of bike lanes as well as 15 bike ramps installed in overpasses and underpasses.
There are also over 200 parks and open spaces opened in the city.
"The goal of the local government is to double the number by 2030," the city government stated.
Aside from a bike park, the PCDF compound will also have a bamboo park, a dog park, an open-air museum, and a plant nursery.
The said bike park is also undergoing a Geotechnical Investigation and Slope Stability Analysis being undertaken by the Quezon City Engineering Department and Woodfields Consultants Inc. to ensure the safety of the former dumpsite.
"The study revealed that under normal conditions with no extensive rainfall or any seismic activity, the old mound and portions of the landfill can be utilized for various activities such as biking, jogging, zumba, among others, but with strict limitations on the number of visitors to avoid crowding," it added.