Sun.Star: Council OKs P400-M Burnham Park rehab plan

Burnham Park, a key tourist attraction in Baguio City, will undergo a P400-million facelift after the city council approved a comprehensive landscaping and preservation project for the site. Sun.Star Baguio reported Monday that the Burnham Park Management Authority endorsed the plan submitted by the City Environment and Parks Management Office (Cepmo). The council said implementation of the plan, which spells out development directions for each of the 12 areas in the park, will be on "installment" basis. It will prioritize the Children Park, which involves P6 million, as certified available by the local finance committee. For the children's playground, the city council approved the construction of a gazebo in the entrance, improvement of bicycle pavilions and freeway, trellis for a shade area, installation of interesting child friendly playground equipment and construction of an extreme sport area, graffiti wall and skateboard area. City administrator Peter Fianza, BPMA action officer, said the park management approved the conceptualized plan in accordance with Executive Order 224, which transferred the management of the Burnham Park to the city government. He said the order also directs the formulation of a city council-approved master development plan, which would serve as a requirement before the construction of any other project in the park. The landscaping and preservation plan would serve as the first step of the master development park for the Burnham Park. Other cluster areas include Rose Garden, Orchidarium, Igorot Garden, Burnham Lake area, Melvin Jones grandstand and football field, Skating Rink, Picnic Grove, Athletic Bowl, Japanese Peace Tower area, Pines Trees of the World area, and Sunshine Park. - GMANews.TV