Delayed for more than three months, the city government is about to construct the P435-million multi-level youth convergence and multipurpose gym at the Athletic Bowl by October.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong, in his speech during Monday’s flag raising rites at Burnham Park, has announced the soon-to-rise structure will be built between the Tartan track and the swimming pool.
The facility will have the youth center on the ground floor and the remaining three floors will house courts that could be used for volleyball and other indoor sports including bowling lanes.
City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña on Tuesday said the City Buildings and Architecture Office made some revision on the plans for the project and they hope to have the revised copy by July 15.
From there, the bidding will start.
“We hope to start works by September or October and finish it by October 2021,” dela Peña said.
The P435M will be released in two tranches, P245M of which will be released this year and the P190M in 2021.
Dela Peña said the project should have started earlier but then the Covid-19 pandemic came in and the country was declared under community quarantine since March 17.
“We have been delayed by three months but then construction has started last July 1, so we can now proceed with our projects,” said dela Peña.
Sangguniang Kabataan Federation president and Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales has welcomed the start of construction of the youth center and thanked the administration for making it as one of its priorities.
He said though there is a youth center finished in 1998, referring to the PFVR Youth Center that also has a gym, the structure did not serve “its purpose as a youth center.”
The PFVR Youth Center is now managed by the Department of Education-Baguio Division.
Orcales said the planned multipurpose hall at the Athletic Bowl can support athletes in their training and wellness. – PNA
April 26, 2024
