QC opens basketball court that doubles as flood detention basin

There may be hundreds of basketball courts across Quezon City, but one in Palmera Homes Phase III, Barangay Sta. Monica, stands out for serving a dual purpose — as both a sports facility and a detention basin.

In a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon, Mayor Joy Belmonte announced the opening of the court.

“As the saying goes, "kill two birds with one stone," that is the result of the BASKETBALL COURT with a DETENTION BASIN that we built in Palmera Homes Phase III,” Belmonte said.

According to the mayor, the facility has the capacity to store up to 1,700 cubic meters of water, equivalent to more than half of an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

She said the project will help address flooding in Quezon City as part of the city’s Drainage Masterplan.

“We will continue to build significant infrastructure that will surely meet the needs of our city and every QCitizen,” Belmonte added.

Construction of the court began a year ago, primarily to mitigate flooding in the area and nearby downstream communities, as the barangay is prone to knee-deep floods during the storm season.