City architect denies plans of parking area construction in Burnham Park

Burnham Park in Baguio City (Wikipedia)

BAGUIO CITY – Architect Evelyn Cayat, Chief of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) in an open letter to the public belied allegations of a planned construction of a multi-level parking at Melvin Jones Football Field.

Cayat, in an interview on Friday, May 15, stressed, “there is no planned construction of a multi-level parking in the site.”

But Cayat was quick to confirm, “there is a conceptual plan prepared by Architect Ignacio Estipona, the former City Architect and Parks Superintendent which incorporated a parking facility at the Melvin Jones Football Field intended to address the parking demand within the Central Business District (CBD), at that time.”

It was however shelved due to lack of funds.

The city government, in 2014, received a proposal from an Australian firm to conduct a feasibility study for a parking facility within Burnham Park at the proponents own expense.

The results of the feasibility study showed two options as viable, the first is the construction of a multi-level parking at the Ganza Area and another multi-level parking at the Solibao Area leaving the field intact which could accommodate 2,484 vehicles while the second option would be to include the redevelopment of the football field that will have more or less 3,000 vehicle capacity.

Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, created a Technical Working Group (TWG) to evaluate the feasibility study submitted by Parkwise, Inc.

The TWG will be chaired by the City Engineer with members composing the chair of the Baguio City Council Committee on Tourism and Special Events, Committee chair on Public Utilities, the City Budget Officer, City Treasurer, City Accountant, City Planning and Development Officer, City Administrator, City Assessor, City General Services Officer and City Environment and Parks Management Officer.

The TWG was given 30 days to submit its evaluation and recommendations.

In the weekly ‘Ugnayan’ radio program, Domogan said “The evaluation of the TWG including their recommendations will be endorsed to the City Council.

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Domogan said, “the city government will not push through with any project that could destroy the park or have detrimental effects on the environment. “