La Mesa Ecopark

For the larger protected area, see La Mesa Watershed Reservation.

La Mesa Ecopark
La Mesa Resort Zone

The ecopark pond in November 2011
Approximate boundaries of La Mesa Ecopark are shown in light green.
LocationEast Fairview, Greater Lagro, Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines
Coordinates14°42′43″N 121°04′27.5″E / 14.71194°N 121.074306°E / 14.71194; 121.074306
Area33 hectares (82 acres)
Opened1950s
FounderMetropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System
EtymologyLa Mesa Watershed Reservation
Owned byQuezon City Parks Development and Administration Department
Operated byLa Mesa Ecopark Administration
Manila Water Foundation
ABS-CBN Foundation (former operator)
Visitors280,000 (in 2011)[1]
Websiteformer Facebook page

The La Mesa Ecopark is a public park located in Greater Lagro, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is in the La Mesa Watershed Reservation and near the La Mesa Dam.

The park closed temporarily on February 12, 2024 after the ABS-CBN Foundation returned management of the park to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.[2] It is partially reopened on June 29, 2024 under the management of the Manila Water Foundation.[3][4]

History

Covering an area of 33 hectares (82 acres) the public park is located along the natural boundary of the La Mesa Watershed Reservation and its elevation is about 40 metres (130 ft) below than the reservoir.[5]

After years of neglect,[6] the park underwent a renovation starting in 1999 under the "Save La Mesa Watershed Project", a collaboration between ABS-CBN Foundation's Bantay Kalikasan, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the local government of Quezon City.[5] A fund amounting to ₱247 million was raised for the rehabilitation of the park.[7] It was reopened on April 28, 2004 and was renamed as "La Mesa Ecopark".[5]

In 2019, it was proposed that the park be renamed as Gina Lopez Ecopark to commemorate ABS-CBN Foundation chairperson Gina Lopez who in 1999 established Bantay Kalikasan which had a role in the ecopark's rehabilitation.[8]

In 2024, the ABS-CBN Foundation announced that it was returning management of the park to the MWSS on February 15. Employees would be laid off and the park along with the Nature Reserve would be temporarily closed.[2]

On April 8, 2024, the MWSS announced that the park would reopen in June.[9] The MWSS approved the takeover of the Ecopark's management by Manila Water[10] through its social development arm, Manila Water Foundation.[3][4] The park partially reopened on June 29, 2024.[3][4]

Facilities

Among the activities in the park are hiking, mountain-biking, horseback riding, rappelling, zip-lining, fishing, and paddle-boating in the lagoon. The park also has an "Ecotrail" and an vivarium specifically an orchidarium.[6]

The park also hosts a swimming complex which opened in 2011. The previous one was destroyed by Typhoon Ondoy in September 2009. According to a 2011 report, the park had 280,000 visitors in a year.[1]

  • La Mesa Ecopark pond, February 2014
    La Mesa Ecopark pond, February 2014
  • A bike loop inside the eco park
    A bike loop inside the eco park
  • An ashy ground thrush (Geokichla cinerea) endemic to the Philippines, captured in November 2013 inside the eco park
    An ashy ground thrush (Geokichla cinerea) endemic to the Philippines, captured in November 2013 inside the eco park

References

  1. ^ a b Villanueva, Rhodina Villanueva (March 6, 2011). "Ecopark opens new swimming complex". Philippine Star. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "La Mesa Ecopark 'temporarily closing' as ABS-CBN Foundation ends stewardship". ABS-CBN. February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "La Mesa Ecopark opens on June 29". Philippine Daily Inquirer. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Mendoza, Kris Anne; Gimongala, Jomari (June 29, 2024). "La Mesa Ecopark reopens". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "PPP Days 2010 - La Mesa Watershed Ecopark" (PDF). Asian Development Bank. March 24, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 24, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Gardens and Parks". Quezon City Government. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  7. ^ "Of Saving the La Mesa Watershed: An alliance built on Trust and Love for the Environment". ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya. April 25, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  8. ^ "Belmonte backs renaming La Mesa Ecopark after Gina Lopez". Rappler. September 4, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  9. ^ "La Mesa Ecopark to reopen in June". ABS-CBN. April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  10. ^ "Manila Water gets approval to take over La Mesa Ecopark". Manila Standard. April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.