KamuningQC.com: Bernardo Park

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Lagarian Creek in Kamuning

Old Lagarian (Diliman) Creek - Bridge (1950s)

(Sampaloc Avenue now Tomas Morato Avenue)

I've been living in Kamuning since birth and for a very long time I only referred to the Lagarian Creek as "sapa" (Tagalog term for "creek"), as in "sapa sa K-6th... never knew what it was called and never really bothered to find out.

During the early years (like in the photo shown above) small bodies of flowing water like creeks, streams, and brooks attract people as it signify life - a source of food and livelihood. Early Filipinos go to creeks to take a bath, wash their clothes, clean their animals and other water-related activities.

Today, because of the foul smell coming from the creek, you wouldn't plan on going near it unless you have to. Though for some Kamuning residents (like the ones shown in the photo below), the smell and the garbage don't seem that disturbing or maybe they just gotten used to it.

Part of Lagarian Creek - Bernardo Park Area

(view from the steel footbridge)

Lagarian Creek - Bernardo Park Area

(Also a view from the steel footbridge facing EDSA)

Lagarian Creek - View from EDSA

Here are some Lagarian Creek Trivias:

Did you know that there is an environmentalist group called LACREA (founded in 1996), short for Lagarian Creek Environmental Association Inc., whose primary goal is to restore &/or rehabilitate the Lagarian Creek system in Quezon City?

Did you know that our Lagarian creek is connected to the creeks found in Roxas District, Philam, Project 3, Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam College, Project 8, Mindanao Avenue, and Tandang Sora?

Did you know that our Lagarian creek is also connected to San Juan River which is connected to Pasig River which is connected to the Manila Bay?

Did you know that it is also connected to the the major rivers found in Paco, Quiapo, Binondo, Divisoria, Makati, Taguig, Potrero and to Laguna de Bay?

Get a hold of a map and you'll see. (".)

Lagarian Creek - Bridge (Judge D. Jimenez Street area)

That's all I have to write about this seemingly abandoned creek. Though I still want to know why it was named "LAGARIAN"... send me a message if you know why it was named as such okay?

Have a nice weekend!

^_^

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Bernardo Park in Kamuning

The Bernardo Park is one of the many known places/landmarks in Kamuning. It was a park constructed during the tenure of former Quezon City Mayor Ponciano A. Bernardo, who served from 1947 until his death in 1949. (The park was later named after him). It was also during Bernardo’s term when Quezon City was shortly designated as the Capital City of the Philippines in lieu of Manila.

The old Bernardo Park (late 1940’s) – View from EDSA

Bernardo Park Today (2012) – View from EDSA

During the 1950’s & 1960’s, Bernardo Park was one of the beautiful places to see in Quezon City, a place to go for a picnic, biking, skating, or sight-seeing. My Nanay used to tell me the park was so popular then that a number of scenes from the movies of Sampaguita Pictures were filmed there.

As a child (late 70’s & early 80’s), Bernardo Park for me is a place to play >> ride a bike, skate, and go back & forth crossing the old bridge (as a challenge thing ^_^). There was also the basketball court and across is the location of the swimming pool where they offer “free learn to swim” programs every year. (I remember me and my cousins enrolled in that swimming program for three consecutive summers, with “Sir Luna” as our swimming coach :)).

Bernardo Park - 2012

Today, the biking/skating area of the park is now half its former size, the other half is a basketball covered court, and new mini-park picnic area was constructed on the other side of the Lagarian creek.

The mini-park on the other side of the creek

(There used to be statues of animals here, with the big black carabao as my favorite. ^_^)

The Lagarian Foot Bridge

The walkway of the foot bridge used to be made of wood where you can see through the creek beneath, now its sheets of metal. The steel side railings seem to be the same original railings I used to hold on to as a child.

View of the mini-park from the foot bridge & part of lagarian Creek

The big boulders of adobe rock today (also a part of the old original Bernardo Park).

The entrance to Bernardo Park along EDSA on the side of Ramon Magsaysay High School.

The steel gate to this pathway is always closed so you can enter the park via the basketball court near the foot bridge.

Rehabilitation efforts were made a couple of years ago to save Bernardo park. Renovations and constructions were made to make it still look inviting to nearby residents, but personally I wouldn't go there for leisure walks as vagrants (palaboys, homeless, etc.) seem to be always present whenever I pass through the area.

Now I only love the park for the good old memories they bring me.

Bernardo Park Area Map