MMDA to develop P70-M park along Roxas Boulevard

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday led the ground breaking for the construction of a public park in Pasay City.

Dubbed as the Roxas Boulevard Promenade, the linear park will occupy 1.6 hectares and will have a budget of P70 million, according to a "24 Oras" report by Dano Tingcungco.

It will have amenities such as a wellness plaza, jogging and bike lanes, a multi-purpose court including a football pitch, a pet park, a police outpost, and an MMDA extension office.

“The Roxas Boulevard Promenade Project is not just about creating a park. It is about creating a space where families can bond, advocate fitness, a place for recreation and leisure, and a place to breathe,” said MMDA acting chairperson Romando Artes.

The pet-friendly park will feature a futsal area with mini-futsal field, artificial turf, benches, bleachers and fences. It also has a jogging path and bike lane, seating area and solar lamp posts.

Artes said the MMDA started planning the construction of the green space last year after the Philippine Reclamation Authority donated the vacant land.

He said the park is part of Pasay City’s Adopt-a-Park Project and the funding for its construction will be sourced from the agency’s savings.

“It's just a canal na naka-enclose, so wala ka namang pwedeng itayo diyan na mataas na structure. Instead na ganyan lang siya, kongkreto, malagyan siya ng amenities para magamit ng ating kababayan natin as a park,” said Artes.

(It’s just an enclosed canal. You cannot construct any tall infrastructure there so instead of leaving it as it is, we will create a park there for the public.)

The Roxas Boulevard Promenade may be extended to up to five hectares should the planned extension to the portion of Mia Road in Parañaque continue.

Aside from the Pasay park, the MMDA is set to construct other green spaces in Metro Manila including in the cities of Manila, Pasig and Taguig.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News