Parking structure at Burnham Park

PARKING BUILDING SITE -- The Ganza and  old city library areas are being mulled by the by the Baguio City  government to put multi-level parking structure at t Burnham Park to ease traffic..

EDITORIAL

Once again, Baguio folks are divided on the plan of the City government is set to construct a multi-level parking building in Burnham Park to decongest the 34-hectare primary park of vehicular traffic.

     Mayor Benjamin Magalong told the City Environment and Parks Management Office and the City Administrator’s Office to work out the requirements to set up the structure.

     Magalong said the city will be following the footsteps of Metro Manila local governments now putting up their own multi-level parking structures that will be operated by the concerned local government units because it has been proven that operation of pay parking buildings have also been income-generating endeavors.

    He said Metro Manila LGUs have been able to prove the operation of multi-level parking structures was a lucrative undertaking that was why these cities have reportedly shifted to 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 more documents so it could start with the project.

    CEPMO head lawyer Rhenan Diwas said the final site for the multi-level parking structure has yet to be determined although most viable is the site of the old City Auditorium which is actually being used now as a parking area.

      He said some P112 million in accumulated savings from projects  supposed to be implemented in the park will be used for construction of the building.

      Diwas said several proposals 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 site of the old city auditorium which proponents say, is the most viable site.