ALL SET. The inauguration of the Baguio athletic bowl renovation will see more bleachers for spectators after the city government and the Department of Public Works ground break the project on March 13, adding more than 300 more seats to the current 1,100 seating capacity. From left: Vision 3000 Builders Inc. president Renato Estepa, Department of Public Works and Highways district engineer Rene Zarate, Baguio Rep. Mark Go, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong and four of the city councilors. (PNA photo by Pigeon Lobien)
BAGUIO CITY – Works at the extension of the big grandstand of the Baguio athletic bowl starts Monday after city officials, led by Baguio Rep. Mark Go and Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Baguio district engineer Rene Zarate on March 13, laid the time capsule highlighting the groundbreaking ceremony.
“Works will start Monday, as we eye 270 working days to finish the project,” Renato Estepa, president of project contractor Vision 3000 Builders Inc., told Philippine News Agency (PNA) after the groundbreaking ceremony.
The Philippine Army Reservist which holds office at a one-story building beside it and the R&R pay comfort room have already started packing to give way to the construction.
Construction for the PHP49-million extension of the grandstand was supposed to start after the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Region (CARAA) meet and the Pangbenga festivities late March until April 5, but the latter was canceled and the former was postponed until further notice.
Chester Bayao, an engineer at the DPWH Baguio Engineering District planning division, said aside from the 50-meter extension of the grandstand, the space under the bleachers will have athletes' locker rooms and showers and gyms.
Bayao said upon its completion, some 360 seats will be added to the grandstand’s capacity of 1,100 seats.
The project will also see the putting up of four 50-foot high light towers that will turn the sports complex “into day” even during nights.
Estepa said they will install 20 1,000 watts LED bulbs at each of the four five-story light towers which will be placed strategically within the perimeter of the oval so that users could be extended until the night.
The athletic bowl operates from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily.
The Friday inauguration will also see a rehabilitated draining system for the whole Burnham Park complex to which the athletic bowl is part of.
Meanwhile, works continue on some of the components of the sports complex.
Last week saw the start of the installation of the sports complex sound system, a PHP2-million project that will see the installation of 16 speakers.
Also last week, the timers of the swimming pool were installed by the Korean firm Oriental Lights.
Led by Kevin Lee, the PHP12-million project, which practically was half of the PHP25-million swimming pool rehabilitation works.
RAJ Construction head Rowland Julian said they will now install the PVC linings to stop leaks of the pool. They are, however, awaiting the arrival of the China-based Korean firm which will do the work.
The contractor said they are about to finish with the diving area which was part of the warm-up pool but a third of which has been excavated anew for additional depth for the divers. (PNA)
