Aliping not opposed to Athletic Oval dismantling

August 29, 2021 Metro BLISTT

Former Baguio Rep. Nicasio Aliping, Jr. is not opposed to having the Baguio athletic bowl dismantled despite his efforts during his term to
have it standardized. “Without much ado, I welcome it,” said the former lawmaker who initiated the upgrade of the Baguio athletic bowl during his term from 2014-2016.
The formal opening of the rubberized oval was a fun fare with Aliping inviting seasoned runners for a friendly competitions where he even gave rewards after the run.
It was long distance and off road runner James Tellias who stole the limelight when he run in his native attire and got a cash reward from the congressman.
However, after five years, the oval must go as this is three meters short of the standard 400 meters. Mayor Benjamin Magalong said that the Baguio athletic bowl’s tartan track may just go as well as the eight inch thick concrete underneath it to give way to an oval that will follow international standards.
Magalong confirmed plans to have the oval excavated and replace it with a rubberized track that is exactly 400 meter long. Magalong said that in the first place, the oval is three meter short of the international standard that has once prevented Baguio from hosting  international athletics meets.
Even national meets cannot be staged at the Baguio athletic bowl, since records are a must. Magalong said that construction of the tracks, done between 2014 and 2016, have not followed international standard with the length short by three meters, the width also short that the installers of the tartan were forced to use the gutter that may endanger runners using spikes.
“Everything has to go,” Magalong said that the planned PhP50 million renovation of the oval must push through as the 7-hectare sports complex is getting a major facelift including the construction of a PhP391 million five storey youth convergence and sports complex in front of the swimming pool and also an upgraded tennis courts costing PhP120 million.
Magalong said that everything must be redone at the track and the field. Install the proper drainage that will be a spider web like design that will prevent pooling of water at the oval.
Magalong has insisted that if one must do a job, it must be done properly as he said that tartan track must have a lifespan of 15 to 16 years. But in the case of the oval, it took only two years when runners observed deterioration.