CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) – Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian led the inauguration of the city’s newest public park.

The Valenzuela City Sports Park is funded by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), through “Green Green Green,” a public open spaces assistance program which is a counterpart of the “Build Build Build” infrastructure development program of the national government.

The 5,000-sqare meter sports park in Barangay Wawang Pulo is complete with an obstacle course, an amphitheater, a kids’ playground, and an outdoor gym – the first open-air sports park in the city not only designed for athletes but also for those who want to enjoy the open, green space Valenzuela has to offer.   

“This sports park was built para naman hindi puro konkreto at semento ang Valenzuela City kundi may green spaces din (For Valenzuela City to have green spaces and not purely concrete)... Now we want to put emphasis na may Valenzuela bukod sa mga pabrika. May mga open spaces ang Valenzuela at areas kung saan pwedeng magtipon tipon ang mga pamilya,” Gatchalian said.

The sports park was also built for Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) that is why the City Government of Valenzuela signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation, Inc. (POSF) to help the city government develop a program for an OCR program for the youth.

Under the agreement, the POSF will provide OCR training and events while the city government will be responsible for the introduction of OCR to public schools through the Department of Education, organizing and supporting inclusive OCR activities.

Gatchalian said the project is also in line with the liveability initiatives he has carried out under his leadership.

“In the near future, all of this [COVID-19] will end we will be able to enjoy our green spaces and parks again… Liveable City developments will continue while we wait for the day this pandemic will end,” Gatchalian said.

The city’s newest public park was inaugurated on July 12 as part of Dr. Pio Valenzuela’s Birth Anniversary celebration (Valenzuela PIO/PIA-NCR).