ATHLETIC BOWL LANDMARK READY TO GO FOR NEW GATE

July 7, 2023 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY

An iconic landmark at the Baguio athletic bowl is about to go. Demolition of the more than 50 years of memories have started for the structure which was memorable for people especially to graduates of the nearby public high school. The wooden structure, opposite the big grandstand which recently underwent a major overhaul, is in bad condition.

The smaller grandstand used to house students of the Baguio City National High School for their Youth Development Program, now Physical Education, especially for the freshmen. It was also where the BCHS band used to practise thus the name bandstand. The past years, it was home to homeless people And recently, it was used as an office for construction and its frontage a batching
plant.

But the building needs to host now so that a gate for thr sports facility will be constructed. The PHP 10 million project will extend to the present gate, however, the old one will serve as a perimeter fence and the gate to be installed where the bandstand stands. Actually construction started the end of April with the equipment already parked at the area that actually endangered the staging of the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association meet which Baguio was supposed to host in 2020.

The city allowed use of the sports facility a few days before the meet that was held from April
29 to May 1. At present, paving is being done at the area even as construction of two high impact
projects are underway. At the south end is the PHP395 million youth convergence – multi purpose gym and adjacent to the gate is the PHP120 million tennis courts construction. The city is also undertaking the construction of an athletes quarters at the back of the swimming pool. An extreme sport facility will be placed also at the back of the swimming pool and an area for obstacle course race is also being prepared. Once completed, the city expects to host not only city or regional sports meets but also national.

Pigeon Lobien