3 Burnham Park sites slated as parking areas

BAGUIO CITY – Government officials here identified three parking sites within the Burnham Park complex to address insufficiency of parking areas and traffic congestion.
    Under the proposed Burnham Park master development plan, City Planning and Development Officer architect Donna R. Tabangin said the proposed parking areas in the complex will include parking slots that will be designated under the Baguio City youth convergence center, below the Baguio tennis court which will be subject for upgrading and near the city creative center, aside from the site of the old city auditorium.
    She said the proposed parking areas will accommodate a huge volume of motor vehicles, including public utility jeepneys and taxis.
    City Administrator Bonifacio dela Pena said it will be the local government that will fund the parking structure near the proposed creative center and another near the tennis court while  parking under the Baguio City youth convergence center will be funded by the public works department and city government.
    The parking structure that will be constructed in the site of the old city auditorium, will be offered for public-private partnership (PPP).

Adjustments are being worked out with offices of the local government to ensure the feasibility of the endeavor once the city will be able to tap its partner for the said project.

Earlier, several proponents submitted offers for the parking structures at Ganza parking area and at the city orchidarium.

However, the city administrator said the proposed parking structure at the orchidarium will be transferred to the old city auditorium as part of the proposed creative center but additional storeys are needed to ensure it is attractive to investors.

The city government is finalizing the comprehensive master development plan for Burnham Park to be submitted to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to support the future release of the P480 million earlier requested by the city government to upgrade some portions of the park.

 The proposed upgrading of Burnham Park was supposed to be implemented last year but the funds earlier set for the project were realigned to mitigate effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

TIEZA officials assured city officials that the agency can raise the funds for the upgrading of Burnham Park once restrictions on movement of tourists in the country will be relaxed by the inter-agency task force for emerging infectious diseases. - Dexter A. See