City buys up slums to turn into park<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In an effort to increase the number of green spaces in densely
\npopulated areas, the City Parks Agency plans to add six more
\ncommunity parks to the existing 54.<\/p>\n
The agency has been acquiring plots of land in six locations
\nin Kemayoran district, Central Jakarta, and Meruya district in
\nWest Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"We have finished the land acquisition in three locations and
\nare still negotiating the acquisition of three other sites,\"
\nagency head Sarwo Handhayani said at City Hall on Monday.<\/p>\n
She said the agency would complete the land acquisition this
\nyear and fence the plots to keep squatters out.<\/p>\n
\"We will proceed with the establishment of the parks next
\nyear. The construction of the parks, which will be between 400
\nsquare meters (sqm) and 1,000 sqm will take two months.\"<\/p>\n
She did not specify the total funds needed for the acquisition
\nand establishment of the parks, but hinted that the cost of each
\npark was approximately Rp 600 million (US$65,934).<\/p>\n
The agency has been establishing community parks, mostly in
\nslum areas, since 2001.<\/p>\n
According to Handhayani, locals can determine the function of
\nthe park in their area. \"They can use the park as a place to hang
\nout or exercise or as a playground for children. The facilities
\nprovided will be relevant to the needs of the community.\"<\/p>\n
However, The Jakarta Post observed that some community parks
\nare poorly maintained. The park in the vicinity of Rawabunga
\nsubdistrict office in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, is being used as
\na parking lot.<\/p>\n
The city administration has targeted to reserve a total of
\n9,155.8 hectares, or 13.94 percent of Jakarta's area of 65,680
\nhectares, for open and green spaces by 2010 in its 2000-2010
\nMaster Plan.<\/p>\n
Currently, there are 5,911 hectares of open and green spaces,
\nor 9 percent of the capital's land area.<\/p>\n
Environmentalists have repeatedly said that, ideally, green
\nareas should comprise around 30 percent of the city's total area,
\nto help ease flooding and reduce air pollution.<\/p>\n
Separately, Governor Sutiyoso met with Guruh Sukarnoputra and
\nproperty businessman Ciputra to discuss two parks.<\/p>\n
Guruh, the son of former president Sukarno, proposed that the
\nadministration expand a park around the residence of his late
\nmother, Fatmawati, on Jl. Sriwijaya 22 in Kebayoran Baru, South
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The park would contribute to the open and green spaces in the
\ncity. I have no problem with that idea, but I told him to look
\nfor private sponsors to finance the project,\" Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
Guruh plans to build a memorial to honor Fatmawati in the one-
\nhectare park. The existing park is between 4,000 sqm and 5,000
\nsqm.<\/p>\n
Ciputra also proposed to place a nine-meter-high statue of
\nnational hero Diponegoro on the median strip of Jl. Diponegoro,
\nadjacent to Suropati Park in the plush area of Menteng, Central
\nJakarta. Currently, the Mother and Child statue is situated
\nthere.<\/p>\n
\"It's a free grant. I am not asking for compensation from the
\nadministration. Please, don't ask me how much money it will
\ncost,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The statue will depict Diponegoro on horseback holding a
\nspear. Jets of water around the pedestal will give the impression
\nthat the horse is galloping above the clouds.<\/p>",
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