City fast-tracks site development for Lion’s Head tourist rest area project

The city government is fast-tracking the bidding of the site development work for the tourist rest area project near the Lion’s Head on Kennon Road.

The City Engineering Office headed by City Engineer Edgar Victorio Olpindo recently conducted a coordination and consultation meeting to speed up the bidding for the site development which serves as the city’s counterpart to the project amounting to P5 million.

According to Engr. Richard Lardizabal, head of the CEO planning, programming and construction division, said it was agreed that the CEO will prepare the site development in coordination with the City Planning and Development Office, the Dept. of Public Works and Highways-Baguio City District Engineering Office to ensure a comprehensive and well-coordinated approach.

The tourist rest area structure itself which is worth P7 million will be funded and implemented by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).  The facility will feature a pasalubong center, information counter, view deck and toilets for visitors wanting to take a break from the road trip before entering or leaving the city.

The CEO said it will be designed in harmony with the natural surroundings ensuring minimal ecological impact while offering a range of attractions and amenities.  It will serve as a gateway to the breathtaking vistas and rich cultural heritage that characterize the Lion’s Head environs.

The city represented by Mayor Benjamin Magalong late last year signed a memorandum of agreement for the project with Dept. of Tourism under Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and TIEZA under Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid.

The project aims to enhance the tourism potential of the area leading to economic growth and increased cultural appreciation in the region.  – Aileen P. Refuerzo