Monday, September 6, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
New Playground
Monday, March 22, 2010
Park Redevelopment
In our recent village newsletter, I have come to learn about the association's efforts to solicit the City Hall's assistance in redeveloping BF Homes’s (in Quezon City) Central Park. In that article, it was not clear what and how the redevelopm ent would be.
What I hope though is that residents would be given the option to get involved directly, and not only through representation through the village's elected board. A charrette, not just a public hearing is needed. In public hearings, one doubts whether, after hearing the people's opinions, these opinions would even be tested & put on the drawing board.
What I hope though is that residents would be given the option to get involved directly, and not only through representation through the village's elected board. A charrette, not just a public hearing is needed. In public hearings, one doubts whether, after hearing the people's opinions, these opinions would even be tested & put on the drawing board.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Sidewalks Again
After having been on an extended vacation these past couple of months, I decided to take a walk along Holy Spirit Drive from Commonwealth Ave. to BF Homes QC gate. After just a few blocks, my thoughts on my last blog came to mind – the sidewalk project supposedly initiated by the local government along the whole stretch of Holy Spirit Drive.
Now that the project seems to be complete, I am frustrated at the outcome that I have anticipated all along. I have come to experience first hand the utter disregard for the pedestrians right of way and safety. And it is largely due to OBSTRUCTIONS! Did anybody study, plan or design this project.
The road pavement was widened by approximately 1 meter on both sides, the purpose of which is not clear considering that the road is already 2 lanes each way. I can only surmise that this width would probably be alotted for parallel parking that the local government can charge for (and thereby make an income out of).
With the road pavement widening, the sidewalk and planting strip was reduced by also 1 meter on each side of the road. This pushed the sidewalk in line with the existing row of large trees (that used to be in a planting strip). I cannot appreciate how this could be in line with the picture shown in the project’s big billboard showing a clear and wide sidewalk.
Anybody who has travelled and done a lot of walking would appreciate the pathwalks particularly the sidewalks constructed in most other countries. They are consistently wide, continuous, level and clear of obstructions.
In the case of Holy Spirit Drive, the pedestrians are being pushed to tread on the road to avoid the trees. Had the road not been unecessarily widened and the sidewalk width been maintained, the levels (lines and grades) been made continuous, and cleared of other obstructions like lamposts, cars and vendors, I am sure more local people would find walking a much more enjoyable experience than bringing their cars or taking public transport.
Since it says on the billboard that this project is only Package 1, I can only hope that there is a Package 2 to restore some of the missing stretches of the sidewalk. In the meantime, pedestrians may have to play dodge with vehicles (and risk neck and limb) as they try to give way to trees.
Now that the project seems to be complete, I am frustrated at the outcome that I have anticipated all along. I have come to experience first hand the utter disregard for the pedestrians right of way and safety. And it is largely due to OBSTRUCTIONS! Did anybody study, plan or design this project.
The road pavement was widened by approximately 1 meter on both sides, the purpose of which is not clear considering that the road is already 2 lanes each way. I can only surmise that this width would probably be alotted for parallel parking that the local government can charge for (and thereby make an income out of).
With the road pavement widening, the sidewalk and planting strip was reduced by also 1 meter on each side of the road. This pushed the sidewalk in line with the existing row of large trees (that used to be in a planting strip). I cannot appreciate how this could be in line with the picture shown in the project’s big billboard showing a clear and wide sidewalk.
Anybody who has travelled and done a lot of walking would appreciate the pathwalks particularly the sidewalks constructed in most other countries. They are consistently wide, continuous, level and clear of obstructions.
In the case of Holy Spirit Drive, the pedestrians are being pushed to tread on the road to avoid the trees. Had the road not been unecessarily widened and the sidewalk width been maintained, the levels (lines and grades) been made continuous, and cleared of other obstructions like lamposts, cars and vendors, I am sure more local people would find walking a much more enjoyable experience than bringing their cars or taking public transport.
Since it says on the billboard that this project is only Package 1, I can only hope that there is a Package 2 to restore some of the missing stretches of the sidewalk. In the meantime, pedestrians may have to play dodge with vehicles (and risk neck and limb) as they try to give way to trees.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Sidewalks
One thing I like about our neighborhood is that it is never too hard to get to a neighborhood store, laundry shop, pharmacy, bakery, gas station, restaurant and myriads of other shops. Whether it is from BF Homes QC or any other village in this part of Barangay Holy Spirit, walking was bearably short enough on a pleasant day. The sidewalks were not perfect but wide enough except for problems such as varying elevations, obstructions and unpaved portions for some stretches and occasional repairs that seem to drag on for eternity.
Then came a city project to improve the sidewalks. According to the erected billboard for the project, it showed a repaved and wider sidewalk more pleasant for pedestrians. I would imagine a proejct similar to that done along Tomas Morato also within Quezon City.
As the project went underway, I noticed that part of this improvement entailed a little road widening that effectively reduced the width of the sidewalk. The reason for the widening is not quite apparent as the Holy Spirit Drive was already 4 lanes wide. Since the widening was barely 1 lane wide, I can only surmise that this would either be for on-street (parallel) parking or simply to widen the width of each lane. Either way, it is the vehicle owners who will benefit.
The problem now comes with the existing trees along the sidewalks. With the sidewalk width reduced, the trees now pose as obstructions, being situated smack in the center of the sidewalks. The roots of some even protrude out onto the road carriageway. And with some fences and establishments built right up to the sidewalks’ edge, how else could the pedestrians avoid these trees & other obstructions, but to walk on the road carriageway itself.
Whoever or whatever office did the planning and survey for this project should look further at improving the sidewalk layout and design for the benefit of those who prefer taking a short walk instead of a car just to go to the neighborhood store.
Then came a city project to improve the sidewalks. According to the erected billboard for the project, it showed a repaved and wider sidewalk more pleasant for pedestrians. I would imagine a proejct similar to that done along Tomas Morato also within Quezon City.
As the project went underway, I noticed that part of this improvement entailed a little road widening that effectively reduced the width of the sidewalk. The reason for the widening is not quite apparent as the Holy Spirit Drive was already 4 lanes wide. Since the widening was barely 1 lane wide, I can only surmise that this would either be for on-street (parallel) parking or simply to widen the width of each lane. Either way, it is the vehicle owners who will benefit.
The problem now comes with the existing trees along the sidewalks. With the sidewalk width reduced, the trees now pose as obstructions, being situated smack in the center of the sidewalks. The roots of some even protrude out onto the road carriageway. And with some fences and establishments built right up to the sidewalks’ edge, how else could the pedestrians avoid these trees & other obstructions, but to walk on the road carriageway itself.
Whoever or whatever office did the planning and survey for this project should look further at improving the sidewalk layout and design for the benefit of those who prefer taking a short walk instead of a car just to go to the neighborhood store.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
First Major Storm
Ondoy, the most recent storm to pass nearest to Metro Manila, was the first major storm we had since we moved in to our new place here in BF Homes QC. Heavy rains started to pour in the early morning of September 26, Saturday. It kept me awake the whole night and the following day as I had to periodically check on the house for any leaks, overloaded gutters and drains and, any leaking windows or doors. It was the major drainage and waterproofing test for our place. So far, no problems.
The village of BF Homes QC was also lucky as it had little flooding problems compared to the rest of the neighborhood of Barangay Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit drive, for a stretch fronting the new Mercury Drug, was chest deep in water. One car parked near the front of Kowloon, a popular dimsum house, was submerged with only about 4inches of its roof coming out of the flood waters. The detour we planned to take going to Zuzuarregui North was also impassable.
The old Delgado gate was passable going to Commonwealth Avenue. But the rising waters of the creek just outside the gate kept me worried. It's good to take note of this just in case we go through (hopefully not) a similar calamity in the future.
It is also good to familiarize ourselves with what is beyond the village’s fence and how it affects us. Upon looking through a simple road map, I noticed a tributary of the Tullahan River just beyond the village’s fence at its lowest elevation, that is at the end of Salazar, Briones and Ortega Streets. It is quite logical to assume that most of the Village’s drainage spills onto this creek. This tributary or creek runs almost parallel to Encarnacion, and is the same creek that cuts across the entrance road, out side the gate at Delgado. This begins to collect water from Commonwealth Avenue, near the Don Enrique Gate. I would also imagine that most water from Don Enrique also drains to this creek.
This creek should be monitored periodically by anyone concerned. Any problems in this tributary may seriously affect BF Homes QC.
The village of BF Homes QC was also lucky as it had little flooding problems compared to the rest of the neighborhood of Barangay Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit drive, for a stretch fronting the new Mercury Drug, was chest deep in water. One car parked near the front of Kowloon, a popular dimsum house, was submerged with only about 4inches of its roof coming out of the flood waters. The detour we planned to take going to Zuzuarregui North was also impassable.
The old Delgado gate was passable going to Commonwealth Avenue. But the rising waters of the creek just outside the gate kept me worried. It's good to take note of this just in case we go through (hopefully not) a similar calamity in the future.
It is also good to familiarize ourselves with what is beyond the village’s fence and how it affects us. Upon looking through a simple road map, I noticed a tributary of the Tullahan River just beyond the village’s fence at its lowest elevation, that is at the end of Salazar, Briones and Ortega Streets. It is quite logical to assume that most of the Village’s drainage spills onto this creek. This tributary or creek runs almost parallel to Encarnacion, and is the same creek that cuts across the entrance road, out side the gate at Delgado. This begins to collect water from Commonwealth Avenue, near the Don Enrique Gate. I would also imagine that most water from Don Enrique also drains to this creek.This creek should be monitored periodically by anyone concerned. Any problems in this tributary may seriously affect BF Homes QC.
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