BACOLOD City — The city government here officially unveiled the P241-million Bacolod Skate Park and Multi-Purpose Center in Barangay Vista Alegre on Saturday, October 4, marking a major milestone in the city’s push to promote youth development and sports.
The project was initiated in 2023 by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 during the term of then-Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, now Lone District representative. It is designed as a dynamic hub for both athletic and community events, featuring a basketball court, multi-purpose function hall, rental spaces, administrative office, storage rooms, kitchen and food preparation facilities, showers, and laundry areas.
The Bacolod Skate Park is expected to attract skateboarding enthusiasts from across the city and Western Visayas. It joins an elite group of only four major skate parks in the Philippines, further cementing Bacolod’s growing prominence in the national skateboarding scene.
The unveiling and turnover ceremony was led by Mayor Greg Gasataya and Benitez, along with DPWH officials, City Council members, and other stakeholders.
“As part of the projects initiated during my term as mayor, the MICES building and Bacolod Skate Park at Barangay Vista Alegre were officially turned over to the community,” Benitez said, emphasizing their role in advancing education, youth development, and community engagement.
Gasataya added, “Today, the Bacolod Skate Park and Sports Center has been turned over to the city, becoming a new home for skaters, bikers, and athletes who dare to dream, fall, and rise stronger each time.”
The mayor thanked Benitez and the national government through DPWH for their support in uplifting Bacolod’s youth through sports. He highlighted the facility’s importance in preparing athletes for the upcoming Batang Pinoy National Games and noted that it could eventually serve as a training center for skating and other sports.
The park will host its first major event on October 12 with the 1st Mayor Greg Gasataya MassKara BMX and Skateboard Competition, a step toward Bacolod’s bid to host Batang Pinoy 2026.
Skate Pilipinas athlete Cindy Lou Serna expressed excitement about the new venue, noting that it eliminates the need to travel to Manila for training. Benitez added that the facility has reignited interest in skateboarding in Bacolod, with hopes of producing internationally recognized athletes.
The project includes a two-story sports center covering 3,141 square meters and an adjacent 1,355-square-meter skate park, complete with a ticketing office and modern amenities for athletes and spectators alike./PN
