Balara Filters Park, 60-hectare public park in Diliman, Philippines
Balara Filters Park is a 60-hectare public park in Diliman that combines recreational spaces with a functioning water treatment facility. The grounds contain Art Deco buildings, natural areas, children's play zones, and an outdoor amphitheater set within the operational filtration plant complex.
The grounds were originally owned by the Society of Jesus during Spanish colonial times as part of Hacienda de Diliman. The park opened to the public in 1953, transforming the location into a recreational space while maintaining its function as a water treatment facility.
The park displays sculptures like La Intrepida and the Worker's Monument that reflect its identity as a water authority site. These artworks are visited by families and students who pass through, becoming part of their memory of the place.
The park sits next to the University of the Philippines Diliman campus and is easy to reach on foot from nearby residential areas. Keep in mind that active water treatment operations continue on the grounds, so some sections may not be open to visitors at all times.
During World War II, the grounds became a battleground between Japanese and American forces during a critical moment in the Philippines' liberation. This conflict left marks on the landscape that locals still remember as part of their community's past.
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