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By Joel Pinaroc

The La Mesa Dam Eco Park in Fairview, Quezon City is a virtual oasis providing families and nature lovers the chance to interact with nature, amid an ever-growing urban sprawl.

A mere 10 to 15 minutes away from the Quezon City Hall, the ecological park provides a clean and green refuge, which is very suitable for families and groups seeking to find and experience nature without straining their budgets nor straying too far.

While the nature preserve, as officials call it, has been “manicured” and improved, it would be difficult to think that such a place can still exist in the middle of bustling metropolis such as Quezon City.

After entering the park, one is greeted by decade-old trees, with their majestic and mighty canopies. Aside from trees, visitors will immediately see flowering shrubs, further providing a natural rainforest environment in the park.

Call it corny or sentimental, but visitors will immediately get that soothing feeling of being one with nature almost immediately after entering the park.

The park has it all: tree-lined pathways, bike routes, a lake, and camping grounds where one can easily find a nice and quiet place to lay down and stare at a canopy-filled blue sky.

And because no vehicles are allowed inside the park, visitors can easily forget the hustle and bustle outside the confines of this nature preserve.

What is pleasantly surprising is that the park is very accessible. You just need to traverse Commonwealth Avenue, and before reaching Fairview proper, you can see road signs to directly point you to La Mesa Dam.

Creating An Ecopark in the Philippines

It was in 2005 when the Quezon City government and a handful of private companies first came up with a roadmap to develop the park to what it is now, a sprawling 33-hectare nature preserve, located alongside the La Mesa Dam.

The park, previously a watershed site and a mere backdrop for the majestic La Mesa Dam, also houses the maintenance offices and support crew of the dam.

However, after the collaborative efforts of the local government, the MWSS, and ABSCBN Foundation’s Bantay Kalikasan program, the park has been transformed to its full splendor. Officials said the primary goal is to make the ecopark a forest reserve, where endemic species of flora and fauna can still be found.

The task was not easy, as proponents of the park needed to secure the backing of government officials and that a major makeover will surely cost a bundle. However, the collaborative efforts proved to be successful, and within a short span of time, the park wan finally opened to the public.

And because there are maintenance costs, officials said the park had to charge a minimal amount to visitors. The good news is if you are from Quezon City, you will be entitled a nice discount. From this beginning, the park soon became a popular destination for families.

Officials said the park is bustling with activities during weekends, where families and groups usually flock to the park to unwind, go on a picnic, or conduct group activities.

Trees, Trails, Lakes

The park has many features, including trails and walkways lined with tall trees. Camping and picnic sites abound, and one needs only to pick a nice spot to relax and unwind. Visitors can usually see families and groups laying down picnic baskets and blankets, after picking that perfect spot.

And for those wanting to temporarily leave their picnic spots and explore, there is also an orchidarium and flower terraces to further please the senses.

Visitors are also assured that the park has other outdoor activities including bike trails, a boating lagoon, and a wide swimming pool for adults and children. Interestingly, the swimming pool is a “saltwater” pool, according to park officials, making it much cleaner than chlorine-treated pools. This makes it ideal for children, and will surely lessen the worries of parents.

Biking is hit among children, as they whiz away in a special bike trail. The good thing is that the trails are segregated from picnic sites, making sure that picnic goers will not be disturbed while enjoying the peace and quite that the park brings.

But the centerpiece of the ecopark is probably the lake, where visitors can either adore from a nice picnic spot, or relax and rent out a fishing rod to leisurely pass the time away. Visitors, particularly families, are seen enjoying a “bonding” time with loved ones while trying to put that lure and casting that fishing line in the hopes of landing a big one.

Aside from the boating lagoon, group activities also abound. There are numerous function halls that can cater to hundreds of individuals for that special celebration or team-building activities.

A minor issue here is that visitors still need to pay for some of the facilities. But the experience of being in the midst of La Mesa Dam Eco Park is surely all worth it.