A sprawling 44.8-hectare park inspired by global best practices and Philippine heritage will soon rise at the New Clark City in Tarlac.

A symbolic marker was unveiled on Friday by Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president and chief executive officer Vince Dizon and British Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce to lay the foundation of the New Clark City (NCC) Central Park, which upon its completion is said to be one of the largest public parks to be built in the country.

New Clark City is among the pilot areas of the Global Future Cities (GFC) Programme of the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (UK FCDO), an official development assistance program that supports sustainable and inclusive urban development in 10 countries and 19 cities across the world.

The construction of the park, to start in 2023 and be completed in 2035, will be divided into four phases.

“The New Clark City Central Park will be a great example of how we can use our land and water resources more sustainably to foster biodiversity, of how we can allocate green spaces to connect people with the environment and through that, to promote greater health and personal well-being,” Pruce said in a statement.

“New Clark City is founded on the vision of becoming the first green, sustainable, and resilient city in the country, modeling from the successes of cities all over the world, especially those in the United Kingdom. We are so fortunate that the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office decided to choose New Clark City as one of its models, to assist in this once-in-a-lifetime greenfield development,” Dizon said.

The vision for NCC Central Park is a space that is one with nature, complete with a floating lakeside stage, pedestrian bridge, retention pond, multipurpose lawns, meditation alcoves, calisthenics or outdoor gym, sunset plaza, and rain gardens.

The park will draw inspiration from diverse international best practices like London’s Queen Elizabeth Park, but will also maintain its unique character by reflecting the local culture and heritage to serve the contemporary needs and future aspirations of Filipinos, the statement added.

It will be linked to existing and future transport infrastructure in New Clark City such as the Clark International Airport and the upcoming Clark-Malolos Commuter Rail extension.

The BCDA in September 2020 signed a memorandum of understanding with the British Embassy for the design of NCC Central Park, as well as an affordable housing project. (PNA)