Dumaguete Quezon Park & its Bricks of Old Glory
The Dumaguete City Quezon Park is indeed a historical landmark in the City of Gentle People. The park was named after the second president of the Philippines; Manuel Luís Quezon y Molina. It serves as a place where both locals and tourists can enjoy camaraderie, talents, and sportsmanship (or so it did). With the administration of the city government headed by Mayor Felipe “Ipe” Antonio Remollo, gone with the green and in with the bricks of glory.
Dumaguete Quezon Park’s Old Glory
Quezon Park rehabilitation to relive its old glory”
According to a Facebook post by LUPAD Dumaguete ”City of Gentle People”, the government plans to rehabilitate the old mini football field and turn it into its old glory. If by “glory” they mean old hard bricks that look like left over from a miscalculated construction sight, then the city is in the right track.
The ongoing rehabilitation works pegged at almost P 6 million will not only enhance the aesthetic value, safety and cleanliness of the Quezon Park but also to restore its prestige as a center where talents are showcased and families gather for decent recreation, any day.”
Safety and Talent – Gone???
Many have argued about the so-called “safety” of these hard bricks of old glory. With the soft grassy field gone, kids are even more prone to danger with scrapping their knees and injuring themselves with harder grounds. Parents would prefer their kids to play and roll on the grass than fall and scrape their knees on hard bricks. Then again, not all parents want their kids to get hurt in the first place.
The next phrase that alarmed a few people with the construction of the bricked grounds is that “talents are showcased”. Some comments from these alarmed people go:
“Mini football field? No to sport?”
“ibalik pud ang green sa soccer field” (Bring back the green soccer field)
“That field is where we play our elementary inter school soccer tournament where we,. St. Louis School won the championship against Silliman University in 1987”
“the old glory was a mini football, and you took it away from us! don’t answer me back that they are 6 football fields in dumaguete because not everybody has an easy access on going to those fields.”
Many can conclude that with the bricks being constructed and the mini football field is gone, not a lot of talents can actually be showcased. The only time you will see kids running around the bricks of glory is when they go out with their parents for church or just passing by after school; definitely not for a game or two of soccer.
Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo approved the project that will include construction of concrete benches, laying of concrete pavers, landscaping, tree planting, and electrical works LED floodlights, among other civil works.”
Not that it’s a bad idea, but why make the bricks as an excuse to “finally” start landscaping and tree planting. The government could have done that years ago and make Quezon Park a cleaner and greener (and much safer) place not only for kids but for everyone. Then again just like God, the government works in mysterious ways.
Pictures by LUPAD Dumaguete ”City of Gentle People”
