Hundreds of shady trees. Large patch of grasses. Elegantly designed walkways. Mediterranean-inspired structures. Environment-friendly.

These are not exactly the words one would immediately have in mind when describing Valenzuela City.

But as the city continues to reinvent itself, the City Government of Valenzuela is set to unveil on February 14, Valentine’s Day, which is also the city’s Charter Day, its most ambitious project yet – a public park that seeks to provide an accessible venue for outdoor activities for families.

Boasting 1.3 hectares of space located just beside the City Hall, the People’s Park of Valenzuela is envisioned to be a family-oriented place where visitors can relax and experience the laidback aspect of the city.

 “When we were thinking of what to name the park, a lot of suggestions came up – Valenzuela Park, Central Park,” Mayor REX Gatchalian said. “But we agreed on People’s Park because this park is your park. This is the park of Valenzuelanos.”

Every nook and corner of the park has been designed for every family member.

Families visiting the park will be dazzled by the interactive fountain, which shoots water up to 6 meters high. It will also have high-speed choppers for water-chopping effect and built-in internal LED lamps with custom-built electronic color changer to achieve multiple color effects.

The park also contains a senior citizens’ area, where the elderly can keep their body fit and mind sharp while bonding with fellow senior citizens. This space contains an exercise area, a pavilion, a life-size chessboard and picnic tables.

Little ones have their own space to play and mingle at the children’s area. Here, kids can enjoy a number of play equipment at the playground, which includes swings, slides, spring rides and a merry-go-round.

Mothers looking for a more active pursuit may join a number of free aerobic dances and Zumba sessions at the Aero Circle.

For nature lovers, the park contains zoological spaces where animals are displayed to the public. The people will get to see fischer’s lovebirds, comet-tailed goldfish, koi fish, and monkeys. The monkeys are named “Pablo” and “Macoy,” which are lifted from the roads that sandwich the park --Pablo, the smaller monkey, is named after A. Pablo Street while Macoy, the bigger one, is named after Mac Arthur Highway.

Teenagers and those who are young at heart may also frequent the park’s amphitheater for free public shows. With a seating capacity of over 2000, the amphitheater is now the city’s newest choice venue for free public entertainment such as, but not limited to, live bands and theater plays. Churchgoers may also celebrate the holy mass at the park on Saturdays at 7:00pm.

“Park Rangers” onboard human transporters will consistently patrol the park toensure that visitors obey the set park rules and regulations. As auxiliary measure, 34state-of-the-art CCTV cameras are also installed to monitor security and safety. Should inevitable accidents arise, the rangers are trained to administer first aid medical treatment for the patrons of the park. A fully-stocked medical clinic, built at the backstage of the amphitheater, is all set too for more serious cases.    

Mayor REX describes the park as, “a green space at the heart of the city that offers an economical venue for families to spend quality time together.” He adds, “The city government also hopes that the People’s Park will trigger urban renewal in the peripherals of the said park.”

The People’s Park is open daily from 5:00 am until 12:00 midnight.