Located in the heart of Baguio City, Burnham Park is an urban green space named after the city’s planner, American architect Daniel Hudson Burnham. It’s a popular destination for locals to relax in the evenings and at weekends, with numerous recreational facilities and a man-made lake at its centre.
On the eastern side of the park is the Melvin Jones Grand Stand and Football Field where concerts, carnivals and political rallies are often held, together with parades from cadets of the Philippine Military Academy. At the southern end of the park, there is a circular skating rink with rental skates available, as well as an athletics track, the Baguio City Swimming Pool and the Pine Trees of the World grove. An Orchidarium showcases both orchids and other flower species, together with the Children’s Park, are found along the park’s western edge, while a Rose Garden lies to the north and features a bust of Daniel Hudson Burnham. The Igorot Garden exhibits statues of the five main Igorot tribes, including Ibalois, Bontocs, Kalingas, Ifugaos and Kankanaeys, and is a popular place for locals to play chess, while a Japanese Peace Tower has also been constructed within the park.
The Baguio Bus Terminal lies just to the east of Burnham Park, from where there are connections across the city, while jeepneys congregate at the Green Valley Terminal on its northern edge. Bicycles are one of the most popular ways to explore the park, with singles, tandems, children’s bikes and even those with sidecars available for rent.
In addition to designing Baguio City, Daniel Hudson Burnham played a leading role in the planning of Manila, Chicago and Washington DC, as well as designing several famous buildings such as New York’s Flatiron Building. During the earthquake that rocked Luzon Island in 1990, Burnham Park became a place of temporary refuge for many of Baguio’s displaced residents.