The Foundation University Department of Architecture and Fine Arts (DAFA) will design a promenade for the Rizal Boulevard.
This was agreed upon by Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria and FU Vice President for Finance and Administration Victor Vicente Sinco, in a meeting held at Sagarbarria’s office last week.
Sinco, who is also the chair of the DAFA, offered the University’s services to the City after Sagarbarria expressed his support for the move to make the Rizal Boulevard into a promenade.
Sagarbarria offered to have the Rizal Boulevard converted into a promenade after businessmen slammed the proposal of Councilor Manny Arbon to convert Perdices St. into a promenade.
Under Arbon’s proposal, Perdices Street would be closed to traffic on weekends and holidays to encourage people to walk in the streets and decongest traffic, live a healthy lifestyle, minimize the use of fossil fuels and lessen carbon emissions.
Sinco, who is also an architect, said the overall design for a promenade at the Rizal Bouelvard would not require the closure of the street.
He said the plan is to still make the boulevard a two-lane street, while trees and parking spaces could be placed in strategic areas on both sides.
Once the project is implemented and gains public acceptance, perhaps Dumaguete by that time might agree to make Perdices St. into another promenade, Sinco and Sagarbarria said.
Sinco showed Sagarbarria some drawings made by FU Architecture students for a Perdices St. promenade. “This is very beautiful,” the Mayor exclaimed, “but I want this project for the Rizal boulevard.”
The FU Architecture students would start working on the design for the Rizal Boulevard promenade starting in the second semester.