Comprehensive sports complex and evacuation center planned for city

May 14, 2017 Opinion Sideglance

With the aim of creating world class facilities in the City of Baguio that will cater to sports enthusiasts the city government thru the office of the City Mayor is requesting the city council for the re-alignment of funds to a major project entitled “Proposed Sports Complex with Evacuation Center” that will have an estimated cost amount to a little more than one hundred million pesos.

In the request for re-alignment of funds the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO), which came out with the plan and design for the said proposed sports complex and evacuation center pointed out that while the funds sought to be transferred were originally for the fencing, construction and improvement of the swimming pool area, as well as for the development of the Athletic Bowl, its eventual re-alignment for the said major project would likewise incorporate the repair of the swimming pool area since the proposed project will be located in that particular portion of the Athletic bowl.

The funds sought and requested to be re-aligned include one million pesos from the 2015 Annual Investment Plan of the city for the fencing of the swimming pool, eight million pesos from the supplemental budget of 2015 intended for the construction and improvement of the swimming pool area, seven million pesos from the 2016 Annual investment Plan intended for the continuation of the improvement of the swimming pool and its facilities, twenty five million from the 2017 AIP intended for the rehabilitation of the swimming pool to include solar panels, five million pesos from the supplemental budget of 2015 intended for the solar panels at the swimming pool area and sixty million pesos appropriated under City Ordinance Numbered 56, series of 2014 as supplemental budget for the development of the Athletic Bowl.

As contained in the plan and design of the proposed integrated sports complex and evacuation center submitted by the CBAO thru its head Engr. Nazita Bañez, the facility will incorporate a single indoor basketball court that can also be utilized as volleyball and badminton court and as an exhibit hall for adjacent conference rooms. The complex will also house a sports bar that will have a table tennis, billiards and darts equipment as well a snack bar that can accommodate 20 persons. Likewise the proposed sports complex will include a food court that can accommodate between 180 to 200 persons and a balcony for outdoor dining, a diving and swimming pool and a six lane bowling alley.

Per the pertinent documents submitted by the CBAO, the lower ground floor of the complex will house the sports bar, bowling alley and diving and swimming pool, while the food court and administrative office area will be located at the upper ground floor. Meanwhile the second floor layout for the proposed sports complex will house the indoor basketball court which will include bleachers as well as multipurpose rooms either for conferences or seminars. Finally the third floor lay-out of the proposed complex will be areas that can be rented out for offices.