P30M athletes quarters cum isolation facility good to go

May 7, 2022 Metro BLISTT

The PhP30 million athletes’ quarters cum isolation facility had its groundbreaking Friday signaling the start of construction that may take 10 months at the least.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong led local officials including city administrator Bonifacio de la Pena in the 10 AM groundbreaking ceremony that was witnessed by sports enthusiasts and guests from Manila as the city starts with the second of the five impact sports project within the Baguio athletic bowl sports complex.
“This is a response to a clamor for us to have our very own athletes’ quarters, we want guest-athletes to have their quarters every time we have a sporting event here,” said the mayor during the ceremony which was a respite from his hectic political sorties with just three to go before election time.
“If we book them in hotels then it will be very expensive for us. We want national and international athletes here so that our very own will be inspired to aspire for more,” said the mayor.
“While we have excelling athletes from the combat side, we have to hone other athletes like those in athletics or cycling,” he added.
Dela Pena, meanwhile, said that the quarters may serve also as an isolation center as the city is still under the threat of Covid-19 despite surviving its onslaught that killed nearly 900 residents. Dela Pena said the quarters that will rise at the
back of the swimming pool will be a 30-room facility that can house 120 persons at one time.
It has hot and cold shower and a cafeteria. The project is expected to be completed within 10 months, if weather permits, but may take as long as 14 months. Entrance to the quarters is a dirt road from the Gov. Pack Road just after the Baguio City High School campus.
After the PhP47 million extension of the grandstand and installation of floodlights, the city ground broke for the construction of the PhP381 million youth convergence and sports complex last March.
Dela Pena said that they will have the bidding for the PhP110 million Baguio tennis court next week and for the groundbreaking rite late June. This will be followed with the PhP10 million climbing wall, come extreme sports cum obstacle course race facility and the PhP1 million archery range.
The last of the project expected this year is the upgrade of the oval which is about PhP50 million and is meant to rectify the length of the track, which is four meters short, and widen it to follow international standards.
“This is for our athletes, they compete and win but they do not have the standard facility,” said dela Pena in Filipino in his welcome address. TIME CAPSULE.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong, right, places the contents of the time capsule which will be placed at a hole within the soon to rise PhP30 million, 120 beds athletes quarters and isolation facility at the back of the swimming pool within the seven hectare Baguio athletic bowl Friday with city administrator Bonifacio dela Pena assisting him and City Buildings and Architect Office head archt. Johnny Degay.
Pigeon Lobien/ABN