Accessible public parks wanted<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak and Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Living in the concrete jungle that is Jakarta, a visit to
\npublic parks can be relaxing. But fewer and fewer people go
\nthere. Jakartans prefer to take their families at the weekend to
\nshopping malls for recreation.<\/p>\n
A family chatting over lunch at a food court, strolling
\nthrough a fully air-conditioned mall while window-shopping, with
\nthe children playing at an indoor playground, consider all that
\nmore fun today than dealing with bugs and the burning sun
\noutdoors at a park.<\/p>\n
Fewer people even care whether the parks still exist.<\/p>\n
Ordinary people know that public parks are an important
\nelement in city planning. Public parks are essential as they are
\nmultifunctional, not only as playgrounds and sport fields where
\npeople can breathe fresh air. As green areas, they are of
\nparamount importance as part of the ecosystem and function as
\nwater catchments. Besides, they can also beautify the city.<\/p>\n
As for the community in general, public parks can help to
\nnurture an emotional proximity with the environment and create a
\nmilieu in which to socialize with others in harmony.<\/p>\n
A public park is not a gift from the government; it is the
\nright of the community.<\/p>\n
Gubernatorial Decree no. 10\/1999 stipulates that public parks
\nare part of the city's bank of green space within particular
\nboundaries, man-made designs that combine with natural elements
\nand serve the function of water catchments.<\/p>\n
Moreover, Bylaw no. 7\/1997 on the organization and job
\ndescription of the city's park agency highlights the social
\nfunction of public parks. As publicly owned entities, no charge
\nshould be imposed on park visitors.<\/p>\n
In the 1985 to 2005 city master plan, the Jakarta
\nadministration specified around 105.9 hectares (ha) of land for
\n302 public parks. But the revised, 1995 to 2010 Jakarta Master
\nPlan allowed dramatic changes to the park setup.<\/p>\n
According to the City Park Agency's latest data, at least 250
\npublic parks have been lost to business uses. Forty-two of those
\nwere located in Central Jakarta, 27 North Jakarta, 48 West
\nJakarta, 56 East Jakarta and 77 in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
From the number of lost public parks, 34 became gas stations,
\nhaving a total area of 53,700 square meters.<\/p>\n
Many landscaping experts and city activists believe that this
\noccurred because the public was not involved in park management
\nand park-related policy making. All decisions are in the hands of
\nseemingly corrupt officials. Or insensitive ones.<\/p>\n
The prestigious and historical National Monument (Monas) park
\nin Central Jakarta is a blatant example.<\/p>\n
Still fresh in the memory are public protests in May against
\nthe plan of the Sutiyoso administration to build a three-meter-
\nhigh fence to ring the 108-ha park, which at that time was
\nestimated to cost Rp 9 billion (about US$1 million).<\/p>\n
Critics say the fence has destroyed views and also made the
\npark less accessible to the public.<\/p>\n
But the administration continued with its plan and recently
\ncompleted the project, said to be aimed at keeping vendors and
\nthe protesting public outside the park, located close to the
\npresidential palace, government offices and the gubernatorial
\noffice.<\/p>\n
The surprises don't stop there. Sutiyoso plans to release deer
\nfrom Bogor Palace and lay out three small soccer fields and a
\njogging track in the park. But careful consideration should be
\nmade before the plan is put into action, especially as deer are
\nsensitive animals that can easily be stressed.<\/p>\n
In fact, the park is now in a pathetic state. A large part of
\nit is now covered with bricks, while trees have grown only to
\ndistinguish each section in the park, with no large and shady
\nspecimens to cool the city.<\/p>\n
Even though many prefer nowadays to go to shopping malls
\ninstead of public parks, there are still some, especially those
\nfrom the low-income bracket, who frequently visit parks.<\/p>\n
\"I come here to hang out with my friends,\" said Ardiansyah,
\n26, a regular visitor to Lembang park in the upmarket residential
\narea of Menteng, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"We come here because there is no such park near our
\nneighborhood in Kramat ... We love to come here because we're
\nlooking for tranquility. Here, we're far from traffic and there
\nis a hint of the village environment,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the noise, especially at night, annoys
\nresidents. It is no secret that many people go to the park for
\ndating.<\/p>\n
Tri Santoso, one of Lembang park's attendants, said that the
\npark was closed every night from 10 p.m. until the following
\nmorning since Aug. 1 last year after residents complained.<\/p>\n
However, nearby Suropati park, adjacent to Jl. Diponegoro, is
\nquiet most of the time, even though it is quite pleasant. The
\npark is surrounded by the well-known residences of the vice
\npresident and the U.S. ambassador, and is near to the governor's
\nofficial residence. A police station also stands on one of the
\ncorners.<\/p>\n
Asnawi and Yati, street sweepers who usually take a rest in
\nthe park, said that the police prohibited the general public from
\naccessing the park. Food vendors are not allowed to operate in
\nits vicinity, either.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/accessible-public-parks-wanted-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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