Governor deceitful about parks?<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso said in his budget speech last week that his
\nadministration had constructed 37 parks throughout the capital
\nlast year. But data from the Jakarta Park Agency shows that only
\n23 parks had been developed.<\/p>\n
The agency's project leader Sudirman Sulungkao, said the
\nadministration failed to build the remaining 14 parks because of
\ntime constraints.<\/p>\n
\"They only reached the stage of land clearance last year,\"
\nSudirman told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso claimed in his speech that a total of 37 \"interactive
\nparks\" were built in slum areas in the city's five mayoralties.<\/p>\n
They were called \"interactive parks\" because they focused more
\non the park's social function rather than esthetics. Therefore,
\nthe parks look more like playgrounds.<\/p>\n
The parks are not big. The smallest one is only 78 square
\nmeters, located in Taman Sari, West Jakarta, while the largest
\none, 563 square meters, is in Menteng Atas, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The projects to build the 37 parks were handled by the Jakarta
\nPark Agency and the five municipal offices.<\/p>\n
The agency should have built 14 parks totaling 3,392 square
\nmeters in various parts of the city, but it only managed to build
\n11 parks.<\/p>\n
The Central Jakarta Municipality was assigned to build seven
\nparks covering a total area of 2,197 square meters, but failed to
\nbuild even one, while East Jakarta, which should have built two
\nparks, also failed to build any.<\/p>\n
South Jakarta managed to build two parks instead of four,
\nwhile the West Jakarta and North Jakarta were able to
\nsuccessfully complete their duty to build, seven and three parks
\nrespectively.<\/p>\n
Even though the parks are small, local residents are really
\ngrateful because open spaces are rare in Jakarta. Rapid
\ndevelopment has turned the city into a concrete jungle with a
\nlack of open spaces for adults and also for children to play.<\/p>\n
In Kota Bambu Selatan subdistrict, in Palmerah district of
\nCentral Jakarta, scores of children were seen playing soccer in
\nan \"interactive park\" that was built by the park agency.<\/p>\n
Ignoring the heat, they played the game using a plastic ball
\nin the 262-square meter park located in the densely populated
\narea.<\/p>\n
The spot is the only open area for over 3,000 residents living
\nin the neighborhood, who are mostly low income families.<\/p>\n
\"Since the park was built in October last year, children
\nalways play various games here. They even ignore the burning
\nsunshine,\" said Riyanto, 25, whose 30-meter-square house was
\nlocated only one meter from the park.<\/p>\n
Riyanto said it was not only children who liked playing in the
\npark. Teenagers and even the adults often spent time there.<\/p>\n
The park is just like a playground with swings, climbing
\nfacilities and concrete desks. While trees, which one normally
\nexpects to see in a park, were only planted at the edge of the
\npark.<\/p>\n
Similar facilities were also seen at a 190-meter-square park
\non Jl. Bahari, Tandjung Priok subdistrict, North Jakarta. Many
\nyoung school children were seen playing on the swings there in
\nthe morning.<\/p>\n
Jailani, 60, whose lives five meters away from the park, said
\nthat adult women did exercises, particularly on Saturdays,
\nSundays and public holidays, there.<\/p>\n
But, according to Jailani, not all people like the presence of
\nthe park. They, he added, were concerned by the presence of
\nteenage couples who gathered in the evening in the park.<\/p>\n
\"Many teenagers from outside neighborhoods come here in the
\nevening. So far, nothing has happened, but the residents here are
\nworried that they may disrupt the peace in the neighborhood,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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