Playground at fort gets new equipment

CEBU, Philippines - Senior Trade Commissioner Ellen Ruth Zeisler of the Consulate General of Canada will be donating playground equipment to the Cebu City’s Parks and Playground Commission to make a space for children at the Fort San Pedro playground.

The playground would then be called ‘Colin’s Recreation’ once the equipment arrives in October, in time for Children’s Month.

The playground will have a Merry Go Round, swings, seesaws, monkey bars and slides, among others. The equipment, Zeisler said, are artistically designed to match the historical Fort San Pedro.

Zeisler donated the equipment through the VICSAL Foundation Inc. owned by Jack Gaisano. She said she wants to dedicate the donation and the playground to her son, Colin, who died of an arterial disease.

Zeisler’s husband was born in Cebu. She said her family used to come here often before her son died at the age of nine. Colin loved Cebu, she said.

Parks and Playground Commission Chairman Dr. Librado Macaraya said the donation is a welcome development since there are not many public playgrounds for children in the city.

The Colin’s Recreation will be set up in the immediate entrance of the Fort San Pedro playground. The back portion of the area will be developed for senior citizens.

VICSAL also pledged other equipment like board games, tables, garden swings and benches for senior citizens and adults.

A portion of the Fort San Pedro playground will also be set aside as venue for Filipino traditional games, Macaraya said.

Macaraya said the playground will be accessible 24 hours like the Plaza but sleeping there won’t be allowed. — THE FREEMAN