■ Ofelia C. Empian
The Benguet Sports Complex (BSC) running track is now open for the public while the construction of the provincial aquatic center is underway, both located at Barangay Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet.
Executive Assistant Jeriel Polon, who is in-charge of the BSC, said the oval running track is free to the public as of the moment pending the finalization of the guidelines in using the rubberized track.
Polon, who works under the Provincial Governor’s Office, said in their draft guidelines, the running track will be for free for athletes as long as they have an ID.
There will also be a lower rate for students, government employees, and senior citizens apart from the regular rate for other users of the BSC ground.
“The guidelines might come out this March and will undergo review by the provincial administrator then the governor then it will be implemented by April,” Polon said.
Provincial Administrator Brian Camhit said the BSC oval has not been formally turned over yet by the contractor to the province.
Benguet Rep. Eric Go Yap said the aquatic center, which is adjacent to the running track, is expected to be finished by early next year.
Yap has funded P150 million for the completion of the project which has a 50-meter Olympic-size swimming pool, 20-meter lap pool, locker rooms, and bleachers. It will also be a heated pool.
The solon said the measurement of the aquatic center must be exact to avoid the experiences of other aquatic centers where the supposed 50-meter pool ends up missing a one-inch measurement.
This leads to aquatic sports bo- dies not being able to approve the aquatic centers for national or even international swimming events.
An Olympic-size swimming pool must be 50 meters long, 25 meters wide, and two meters deep according to the standard set by the Federation Internationale De Natation or the International Swimming Federation.
Prior to the construction of the aquatic center, he has engaged with the different athletes and coaches for the design and needed specifications for the project.
With the aquatic center, he hopes swimmers from the province would be properly trained and would not have to resort to training in ri-vers or non-standard pools only.
