Project LUNHAW: Transforming the City Hall Riverside into River Esplanade

UN-Habitat plans to develop riverside areas, Plaza Divisoria into an urban-friendly recreational attraction in CdeO. If plans push through without glitches, large open spaces from Duaw Park going downstream near Maharlika Bridge, including the site where the old Amphitheater stands, will soon become an urban-friendly recreational attraction in Cagayan de Oro City.

In gist, this is the main concept of Project LUNHAW, a proposed urban design partnership project between the city government under the administration of Mayor Oscar S. Moreno and UN Habitat’s Building Climate Resiliency through Urban Plans and Designs (BCRUPD Project- UN Habitat).

To keep top city and barangay officials, stakeholders and urban planners have a better grasp about the proposed project, BCRUPD Project-UN Habitat city coordinator Chedilyn Aissa P. Dulguime presented Project LUNHAW’s overview during the recent meeting of the City Development Council presided over by Mayor Moreno as CDC chairman.

Project LUNHAW (which literally means green or verdant) envisions to transform remaining open spaces along City Hall riverside and downstream into a modern recreational areas suitable for picnic, biking and jogging activities… or simply turn these covered areas into river esplanade.

The proposed areas, namely:

1. Duaw Park 
2. Riverside 
3. Landside 
4. Amphitheatre, and 
5. Plaza Divisoria

Will be developed into ‘climate-resilient areas’ where trees, shrubs, flowers and grass are grown in order to provide fresh air, shade and lush greeneries, thus, attracting people from all walks of life to visit the place.

With an initial P80-million funding from Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel, a modern edifice depicting the old Amphitheatre, multi-level parking and office building with footbridge and ramp, open theatre, rentable spaces and sun shelters, and viewing decks facing the majestic Cagayan de Oro River will also rise at the corner end of Plaza Divisoria, particularly from Capistrano Street down to the riverside areas.

Project LUNHAW also wants to improve and beautify the entire stretch of Plaza Divisoria, making it into a ‘walkable ug bikeable’ park, and PWD-friendly with the availability of ramps for differently-abled visitors. (IAF-CIO)

Check out the render video below.