06 Jul Sports Centers in Cagayan de Oro – The Best Venues for Athletics and Sports in the City
People often go for playing a little amateur sports to exercise and stay healthy rather than going for boring exercise routines in the gym. Some love to simply run and train for amateur marathons. Whatever the Cagayanon loves to play, there are many sports centers around the city that can indulge the different athletic tastes of people, whether it’s just running around the track field, playing friendly ball games, or a round of badminton. The sports centers around the city are ready to serve up the toss.
Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Complex
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The biggest and oldest sports complex in the city and Northern Mindanao, it can seat more than 20,000 and is more than 49,000 square feet in size. At a cost of PhP20 million, it was constructed in 1969 in order to host the first Palarong Pambansa in 1975 outside Metro Manila. It contains several courts for basketball, volleyball, football, baseball, track and field, tennis, badminton, and an Olympic size swimming pool. There used to be pelota courts at the back of the complex but these were removed after the sport became obsolescent.
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It has so far hosted 4 Palarong Pambansa games, 5 Mindanao games, and several Milo Olympic games. In 1998 the sports complex underwent intensive renovations to upgrade the facilities. In 2011 the north side bleachers suffered a fire due to the offices that occupied the underside of the bleachers. This has since been reconstructed. It only costs a PhP30.00 entrance to avail of the fields and courts, while the badminton courts and swimming pool have a separate entrance fee. It’s a common site to see hundreds of joggers in the early morning and early evening.
Sports Zone
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One of the most popular indoor sports centers in the city, the Sports Zone is located at the corner of Tomas Street and 6th Street in Nazareth, and is administered by the Liceo de Cagayan University as a commercial venture as well as for its physical education classes.
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It offers both wood and taraflex badminton, billiards, table tennis, and a golf driving range. Rates are normally Php60.00 per hour especially at night, while mornings to mid-afternoon rates are lower.
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Many Mindanao-wide badminton and billiards tournaments have been held in this first-class facility that also features its own café and restaurant with a top-notch kitchen.
Xavier Sports and Country Club
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For those who love world class bowling, billiards, tennis, and swimming, the Xavier Sports and Country Club offers world-class facilities, and with a Wi-Fi connection to boot.
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It is the only center in the city with a ten-pin bowling alley.
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It also has its own fitness center and its swimming pool is Olympic sized for those who want Olympic distance laps.
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Because the center is located inside the Xavier Estates, security is tight and meticulous at the Estates entrance so you need to call ahead to make reservations and advanced arrangements.
Shuttle Square
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As the name implies, this center exclusively serves badminton players in six of its first class courts. In spite of its distant location in the suburbs of Gusa along the National
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Highway, (beside the now defunct Gusa Sports Complex, a former cockfighting arena), the courts are usually filled to waiting capacity and reservations at night or during the weekends. This is probably because of its affordability at only Php50.00 per hour.
ACSAT Gymnasium
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Serious amateur basketball, volleyball, and badminton athletes are familiar with this covered gymnasium along Max Y. Suniel Street, just beside the PLDT/Philcom Building. Though the Manila-based ACSAT school has already pulled out of Cagayan de Oro, the gymnasium is still being maintained and rented out at Php100 per hour.
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The basketball court is easily converted to a volleyball court or two badminton courts. All its hourly time slots are filled up in the evenings, Friday nights, and day and night on Saturdays and Sundays, showing just how popular this aging gymnasium still is. Some schools have offered to buy out the gymnasium, but so far ACSAT has remained mum on the offers.
Exclusive Tennis Courts in Cagayan de Oro City
The Cagayan de Oro Tennis Court (beside the City Hall and St. Augustine Cathedral in Gaston Park), Nazareth Tennis Club Court (21st Street, Nazareth, beside the Nazareth Barangay Hall), and Capitol Grounds Tennis Club Court (beside the Provincial Capitol building), have all been lumped together because they all have similar services and rates. They all have entrance fees of PhP30.00 per person, but if you join their tennis club, the entrance is free since this is already covered by the monthly dues. Each court has its own set of tennis instructors who offer classes, especially during summer, for a weekly fee, or they can be hired for private tutorial lessons at a different rate. You need to bring your own tennis and cans of balls as there are no equipment rentals available. It is a must that everyone who uses the courts needs to tip the ball boys who run back and forth to recover the tennis balls for you. Php20.00 is usually enough for each ball boy, who team up in pairs.
While all the major sports centers have been mentioned here, some suburbs actually have their own basketball covered courts that are free on a “first come, first served” basis. These are usually maintained by the local barangay officials and can be found beside the barangay halls. These basketball courts can also be converted into volleyball courts. These covered courts are usually filled up by neighborhood playing groups who play just for fun or exercise.
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