Sunday, March 30, 2008 P144-M Burnham Park rehab on By Ernie Olson Jr.
THE much-awaited rehabilitation of Burnham Park, which will reportedly be funded by the National Government to the tune of P144 million, will finally start anytime next week.
This was disclosed by Baguio Councilor Perlita Chan Rondez, chairperson of the City Council Committee on Tourism, Parks, Playgrounds and Special Events (Topps) during the launching of the e-Tourism program beside Burnham Lake late Thursday afternoon.
According to Rondez, the multi-million project, which is broken down into four phases, will start with massive earth-moving activities at the children's playground next week.
"This was supposed to have started earlier, but we couldn't until after the Holy Week, due to the expected large arrival of foreign and local tourists then," she said.
She added that the earth-moving activities alone will initially cost approximately P4.6 million, but after another P3.6 million in playground facilities will be set up there, the rehabilitation of the children's playground will cost P8 million.
After the children's playground will be finished, Rondez said, its entrance will face a more convenient direction, and visitors, upon entering the place, will be greeted by a large gazebo.
She said pavements there will have rubber matting and cartoon characters along its route, and all metal structures will be coated or covered with rubber for the children's safety and protection.
Since accidents have been known to occur due to the inclusion of a children's biking area in the playground, the former will be separated and situated in the portion between its present location and the empty area beside the Baguio Orchidarium.
In the empty area beside it, a teen park will be built, where a skateboard ramp and other "more extreme" sporting facilities will be set up. The teen park will also reportedly cost another P8 million.
"We also got some money for the rehabilitation of the Melvin Jones grandstand in another P4 million, aside from the City Government getting scheduled to receive P124 million for the rehabilitation of the Baguio Athletic Bowl," Rondez added.
