FAMILIES and skate enthusiasts will soon get to enjoy a family and skate park in Talisay City as the construction of the 8,000-square-meter project officially started on April 20, 2023.
The project was conceptualized to have a venue for families and friends to come and spend time together for free, Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. told SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, April 26.
He said the area can also be a skateboarder haven in the city, where enthusiasts and athletes alike can hone their skills in a safe and regulated space.
The family park will bring people to one area, which would translate into more business opportunities for Talisay City locals.
The park will be open to all Cebuanos as a place for people to have picnics, a place to do yoga and Zumba dances, and a place where children can play on the park grounds.
The city plans for the park to host establishments as well such as coffee shops, a dining area, food courts and food stalls.
Gullas led the ceremonial groundbreaking of the “one-for-all” family park and skate park last April 20 at an open lot beside the Plaza Talisay inside the City Hall compound.
The park is expected to open this December 2023. It will cost around P60 million to P80 million to complete the construction.
However, the mayor clarified that the City Government will spend only around P10 to 20 million on the actual construction of the project because the City secured funds from the national government and the provincial government for the park.
In a Facebook post, Gullas said putting up a skate park has been his dream since last year, after being inspired by Cebuana skateboarding star Margielyn Didal.
Gullas told SunStar Cebu that Didal won a gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games and represented the Philippines at the 2020 Summer Olympics, bringing recognition to the country.
He is also hopeful that they can invite Didal in time for the upcoming opening of the skate park at the end of the year.
Typically, skateboarders practice on the streets and open public areas, but with the new skate park, practices can be done in a safer place that was designed for them, Gullas said.
“We wanted to provide them a venue where they can practice their skills safely,” he said.
The skate park was designed by Kenneth Cobonpue, a world-renowned designer, in consultation with Didal’s Olympics skateboarding coach Dani Bautista.
Cebu currently has skate parks in Lapu-Lapu City, Danao City and Consolacion.