MOA inked for La Mesa nature park

A world class park similar to the famous Central Park of New York will soon be reality at the 33-hectare La Mesa watershed area in East Fairview, Quezon City as support starts to pour in for its full development.

The La Mesa Ecological Park, one of major projects being undertaken by Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. in coordination with ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. (AFI) and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewage System, is on track to become a major tourist destination in country.

The long-term goal is to convert the watershed into a huge nature park and bio-diversity reserve for educational purposes and appreciation particularly of school children and of the general public. The park boasts of a lagoon, biking trails, picnic areas and playgrounds.

The park, which was opened to public last April, will soon have an additional attraction, an ecological library courtesy of Sen. Francisco Pangilinan who donated some P6 million from his priority development fund for the construction the facility.

A memorandum of agreement was signed yesterday between Pangilinan, Belmonte and Gina Lopez, managing director of AFI for the implementation of the project.

Pangilinan vowed to fully support the setting up parks in various parts of the city, saying this was a key component of a quality community.

Belmonte said the La Mesa eco-park will be fully operational by March next year in time for the summer vacation.

The city government continues to pursue the development of parks and playgrounds as part of its strategy to transform the city into a Garden City.

Belmonte said that by end of 2004, at least 13 parks would have been completed and rehabilitated. These include the Norberto Amoranto Park, West Triangle park, the historic Pugad Lawin, Villa Nova Park, Roces Park and Central Park in Barangay New Era.