Do we have a La Mesa Eco Park thread? if none i'll start one ,hope you can also contribute articles and photos , i am amazed w/ this park , yes i still believe we Filipinos can make a difference in our environment .
La Mesa Eco Park: Paradise found
by Donna Corpin
It used to be that fresh air meant going to Baguio, boating meant Burnham Park (again in Baguio), swimming pools meant Laguna, hiking meant Mt. Banahaw, and picnics meant Tagaytay. All those places entailed some planning and considerable budget.
What if there was one place that offered everything--right within the metro?
Since August 2005, the La Mesa Watershed Resort and Ecological Park in East Fairview has been the one-stop destination for all of the above. Quezon City residents and non-residents alike have been flocking to the park to commune with nature without actually going out of town. Anyone with at least a hundred bucks can go there on a whim.
Although Fairview is often regarded as being on the fringes of the city, it’s still relatively close. From Makati, going there would take an hour at least on a good day.
Once on Commonwealth Avenue, it’s pretty hard to picture how a natural enclave can sit in the middle of all the smog, traffic, and crowded streets. Past the imposing Sandiganbayan building, the reek around Manggahan, and the squatters on Riverside, unpolluted and breathable air would be most welcome.
Entering a fenced subdivision is even more unconvincing as the way to a park full of promises. But there on the outskirts of the suburb, all misgivings die and give way to awe when a high drop on the left is seen and a majestic expanse of water magnetizes with its soft waves on the right. It’s like being caught between the devil (the precipice looks like it well slides down to the bottomless pit, albeit covered in greens) and the deep blue sea--which is what kids will no doubt call the La Mesa Watershed. It’s a reservoir more than 70 feet deep, the principal source of Metro Manila’s drinking water.
The Ecopark spans 33 hectares, 10 of which is already operational. It lies within the La Mesa Watershed which measures 2,700 hectares and is straddled by Rizal Province, Caloocan, Marikina, and Quezon City. There’s even more greenery as one enters the park proper. This is no surprise as rare species of plants and animals are aplenty. Fifty pesos gives access to all the park has to offer from 8 AM to 5 PM all days of the week. Those inside before 5 in the afternoon can stay until 6 PM.
La Mesa Eco Park: Paradise found
by Donna Corpin
It used to be that fresh air meant going to Baguio, boating meant Burnham Park (again in Baguio), swimming pools meant Laguna, hiking meant Mt. Banahaw, and picnics meant Tagaytay. All those places entailed some planning and considerable budget.
What if there was one place that offered everything--right within the metro?
Since August 2005, the La Mesa Watershed Resort and Ecological Park in East Fairview has been the one-stop destination for all of the above. Quezon City residents and non-residents alike have been flocking to the park to commune with nature without actually going out of town. Anyone with at least a hundred bucks can go there on a whim.
Although Fairview is often regarded as being on the fringes of the city, it’s still relatively close. From Makati, going there would take an hour at least on a good day.
Once on Commonwealth Avenue, it’s pretty hard to picture how a natural enclave can sit in the middle of all the smog, traffic, and crowded streets. Past the imposing Sandiganbayan building, the reek around Manggahan, and the squatters on Riverside, unpolluted and breathable air would be most welcome.
Entering a fenced subdivision is even more unconvincing as the way to a park full of promises. But there on the outskirts of the suburb, all misgivings die and give way to awe when a high drop on the left is seen and a majestic expanse of water magnetizes with its soft waves on the right. It’s like being caught between the devil (the precipice looks like it well slides down to the bottomless pit, albeit covered in greens) and the deep blue sea--which is what kids will no doubt call the La Mesa Watershed. It’s a reservoir more than 70 feet deep, the principal source of Metro Manila’s drinking water.
The Ecopark spans 33 hectares, 10 of which is already operational. It lies within the La Mesa Watershed which measures 2,700 hectares and is straddled by Rizal Province, Caloocan, Marikina, and Quezon City. There’s even more greenery as one enters the park proper. This is no surprise as rare species of plants and animals are aplenty. Fifty pesos gives access to all the park has to offer from 8 AM to 5 PM all days of the week. Those inside before 5 in the afternoon can stay until 6 PM.