At Christmas, there is a gift for every wish! Santa has heard the Bacoleňos plea of opening one of their City landmarks: The Capitol Park and Lagoon. The Park which has been considered as the City’s heart has been closed for almost a year for its P25-million worth renovation and development.
According to Sunstar Bacolod, this amount forms part of the P750-million purchase agreement between the real estate giant and the Provincial Government. Ayala and Capitol signed lease and sale contracts involving the 7.7-hectare prime property in Bacolod City, which totaled to P6 billion.
The Capitol Park and Lagoon has officially opened last December 16, 2017! Among the new features of the park includes: restored and newly painted gates, recently landscaped garden full of plants and flowers, bright and improved lightings, tiled pathways and other facilities like the kids play ground, etc. Though there are some facilities which are not yet completed like the skating rink, people can now enjoy a cleaner and brighter place.
Throughout the years, Lagoon has been considered an unfading notable site. It’s calm and restful state shows the peaceful ambiance of the City of Smiles. Among its historical structures includes golden-colored Carabaos (Carabao plays an important role in helping the farmers plow the fields; it is considered as the national animal of the country) located at the sides of the lagoon, with a man and woman alongside it. Another important structure located at the entrance is the Paghimud-os Monument by Eduardo S. Castrillo.
The reopening of the Park has brought back smiles to people and even made the City of Smiles brighter! To Negrosanons, Lagoon is more than just a Landmark. It has been a part of their way of life. The place serves as a favorite spot for people to stroll, jog, go zumba, practice martial arts and dance rehearsals, it is a place where family bond over feeding tilapias, where pop rice has become a favorite snack not just for the kids but also for the tilapias, children learn to share their seats on the swing and make friends while playing at the playground, it is where teens learn to perfect their skills in skateboarding or bicycling, etc.
With the Christmas season fast approaching, the Lagoon once again will become a medium to unite the Negrosanons be it kids, senior citizens, teens, etc. Come and visit the new Lagoon, and enjoy the well lit surroundings under the humongous Christmas tree. According to Burton Hills, “The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other”.