AMID the clamor on improving the design of the Cebu City Skate Park, Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera urged the executive branch of the Cebu City government to listen, and possibly heed, the suggestions made by skateboarding enthusiasts.
In a press conference yesterday, Garganera said inputs from skateboarders who will benefit from the project should be taken into consideration when formulating the design.
“Maminaw gyud ta nila. Sila may mugamit sa maong skate park so it should fit sa ilahang design. Not the other way around,” said Garganera, an opposition councilor. (We should listen to them. They are the ones who will use the skate park so it should fit their design. Not the other way around.)
After the groundbreaking of the city’s first skate park last Tuesday, December 4, some of Cebu’s skateboarders criticized the design on social media, with some of them saying the area for the street course was too small and that the park was filled with bowls and pump tracks, which is not that useful for skateboarders in Cebu.
Garganera said complaints like this should be considered in making the design so that the funds donated by Ma. Victoria “Minnie” Osmeña, the sister of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, will not be put to waste.
In an earlier interview, Councilor Eugenio Gabuya Jr., Deputy Mayor for Sports, said the skate park’s entire design is not yet final, and that they can still accommodate several changes.
Gabuya said this is because they can only manage to complete Phase 1 of the construction, which will involve the park’s street and flat courses.
The cost of constructing the 400-square-meter skate park located in a city-owned lot behind Fort San Pedro, is estimated to reach P15 million.
Minnie pledged US$100,000 or roughly P5 million to start its construction.
Garganera, though, commended the efforts of the city government for finding a location to construct the skate park.
“I would also like to thank the city mayor for heeding our request not to place it in SRP (South Road Properties). And I also commend Ms. Minnie for the donation,” he added.
Garganera also attended the ceremonial groundbreaking of the skatepark last Tuesday.
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