Former athletes welcome forest plan<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Retired athletes, fondly remembering their glory days at the now-
\nnamed Bung Karno Sports Complex (GBK), threw their weight behind
\nthe GBK management's plan to turn the eastern parking lot into an
\nurban forest in the near future.<\/p>\n
"I'm very sad to have witnessed the sports complex become what
\nit is nowadays," said former high jumper Titik S. Sudibyo, 68.
\n"The documentary movie dragged me back to the time when I stayed
\nat the athletes village in the sports complex. Those were the
\ngreatest days of our lives".<\/p>\n
Titik was commenting on a video screened at The History of the
\nBung Karno Sports Complex exhibition at Plaza Senayan, Central
\nJakarta, on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The three-day exhibition was aimed at socializing the plan to
\ntransform the parking lot into an urban forest. The project will
\ncost Rp 30 billion (US$3.53 million) and is expected to start in
\nOctober.<\/p>\n
The project, will involve removing the asphalt from the 80,000
\nsquare meter parking lot, the drilling of 80 artesian wells,
\nfencing work and the planting of 50,000 trees.<\/p>\n
Former swimmer Zoraya Perucha welcomed the project and even
\nasked the management "to keep the complex clean from drugs".<\/p>\n
The 1996 Olympic gold medalist shuttler, Ricky Subagja, hoped
\nthat the plan would make the sports complex a more pleasant and
\nsafe environment in the future.<\/p>\n
"The complex is not as safe as it used to be. Somebody even
\nbroke into my car and stole my things," he said.<\/p>\n
A survey conducted during the exhibition showed that Jakartans
\nperceive the plan as an improvement.<\/p>\n
"From 7,000 visitors, 99 percent supported our regreening
\nplan," said the exhibition organizer, Linda Djalil.<\/p>\n
Besides the regreening project, the management will also
\nrelocate registered street vendors to certain areas inside the
\ncomplex.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/former-athletes-welcome-forest-plan-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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