THE public plaza in every place always serves as the main haven for leisure and recreation among the locals in the said community.
In Bacolod City, it is the commonplace for people who hang around after attending a mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral. It also serves as a rendezvous for those who relish their rest days with friends and family.
The Bacolod City Public Plaza has served those purposes well but with the Covid-19 pandemic, gatherings inside the place are now discouraged.
However, the Covid-19 restriction has its advantages too as the City Government through the City Engineers Office was able to commence and complete the restoration of the place back to its primary glory.
Acting City Engineer Aladino Agbones said they implemented a nationally-funded project, citing the Local Government Support Fund worth P23 million for the improvement of the plaza.
These funds were earned through the incentives given to the local government unit when it garnered awards of the Seal of Good Housekeeping given by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
"We have restored the public plaza into its previous glory so that people can enjoy it once the Covid-19 is gone. We have restored its original layout and added trellis to boost the scenery. The Japanese garden is still there. The landscape has been improved. The original design of the flooring was restored and the walkways were improved from pebbles to the use of bricks. The ambiance of the plaza was boosted with the trees shading the area. People can just pass by but the local government is discouraging the convergence of people now due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Those who regularly play chess games at the plaza were told to transfer elsewhere as their existence in the plaza draws a crowd. Also, those who engage in debates are discouraged to stay at the plaza, in the meantime that the health risk is still high," he said.
The restoration project is almost completed and people start to appreciate the “restored looks” of the plaza.
The black and white combination of the central area where the bandstand is located has highlighted stunning scenery both in the aerial and ground angle.
The trees help provide a refreshing ambiance that promotes relaxation.
The Japanese-inspired trellis and gardens boosted the existing attraction.
The flooring was re-established well with the use of the bricks and reinforced with the use of the right color that matches the landscape.
The implementation of the project was done with thorough management to help realize the objective of restoring it to its primary glory, he said.