Senayan exhibit publicizes 'urban forest' blueprint<\/p>\n
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
"Why is Senayan becoming a commercial area?"<\/p>\n
"Why are there so many hawkers in the Bung Karno sports
\ncomplex? Aren't you going to do something about them?"<\/p>\n
These were some of the questions posed by visitors to
\nofficials from the Bung Karno Sports Complex Management (BP GBK)
\nduring "The History of the Bung Karno Sports Complex" exhibition
\nat the atrium in Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The officials explained that the fees from the commercial
\noperations were needed to finance the maintenance of sports
\nfacilities, and that the street vendors would be relocated in
\nline with the establishment of an "urban forest" in the complex's
\neast parking lot.<\/p>\n
The exhibition, which continues on Wednesday, displays old
\nfootage and a video presentation describing the inspiring history
\nof the complex since its establishment in 1962.<\/p>\n
The Senayan management's director of general affairs,
\nSoeharto, told The Jakarta Post that the event was an effort to
\ngarner public support for the establishment of the urban forest
\nand the rearrangement of the facilities within the complex.<\/p>\n
"We need the public to be aware of our plan," he said, adding
\nthat people could help in various ways, including by desisting
\nfrom littering inside the complex.<\/p>\n
He was reluctant to say that the event was also meant to
\npromote the complex as a national heritage site.<\/p>\n
"That's between the President and the House of Representatives
\n-- it's not up to us," he said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, the executive director of the Senayan management,
\nYasidi Hambali, had said that the 279-hectare complex would be
\nfree from (unregistered) vendors, while the registered ones would
\nbe confined to a number of places inside the complex.<\/p>\n
He also said that the complex would have an appropriate
\nambience as a national heritage center -- something that has been
\nurged by the House, the city administration and the State
\nSecretariat, to which the Senayan management is accountable.<\/p>\n
He stressed that the management would commence the Rp 20
\nbillion (US$2.35 million) project next month.<\/p>\n
The project, to be finished in eight months time, will involve
\nremoving the asphalt from the 80,000-square-meter parking lot,
\nthe drilling of 80 artesian wells, fencing work and the planting
\nof 500,000 trees.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/senayan-exhibit-publicizes-urban-forest-blueprint-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}