The Quezon City government is planning to redevelop the Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC), restore more green spaces, and renovate its parks and playgrounds.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mayor Joy Belmonte said the master plan to rehabilitate QMC took into consideration the construction of the MRT-7 station within the park.
“Quezon Memorial Circle is one of the assets of QC and is considered one of the major nodes of the City’s ‘Green Lung Network’ where families can enjoy green open spaces for outdoor activities. With this redevelopment plan, we are not just focusing on beautification per se but more on a purposeful design that our QCitizens will use and enjoy,” Belmonte said.
The redevelopment plan is scheduled to start by the last quarter of this year and will be carried out in phases.
Belmonte said approximately 70 percent of QMC will be dedicated to becoming major green areas that include picnic grounds and children’s playgrounds where families usually stay, themed gardens, and will also have areas for urban farming.
The city government is planning to build a multipurpose field that may be used for different sports activities like football, softball, baseball, and frisbee, among others.
In addition, a skate trail and park; basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts; stepped lawns; and a cultural amphitheater to serve as venues for artists, entertainers, and musicians will be built.
Wider path walks, bike lanes, jogging paths, and exercise areas are included in the plan.
As the city government is promoting urban farming and gardening, there will also be botanical gardens with modular kiosks allotted for plant vendors inside the park.
Meanwhile, the Liwasang Aurora, or the circle-shaped open-air venue near the pylon will also be restored.
Vendors of food, wet and dry products, and souvenir items will have their own spaces as pop-up stores have been included in the master redevelopment plan.
CCTV cameras will be installed for additional park security while internet hubs for public use will also be provided.
Before the coronavirus disease 201 (Covid-19) pandemic, Belmonte fought for the redesign of the MRT-7 station within the QMC to ensure that it will not ruin the heritage sites while preserving the park’s integrity.
“We are developing this area for the next generation. QMC will remain to be an area where QCitizens can enjoy spending time doing sports and other recreational activities,” she said.
The Quezon Memorial Shrine found inside the park has been declared by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) as a national cultural heritage in 2020.
QMC itself is a 27-hectare national park and is an important landmark located at the heart of the city that is dedicated to the memory of former President Manuel Luis Quezon.
It is jointly managed by the QC local government and the National Historical Commission. (PNA)