City Park Agency embarks on a regreening project
City Park Agency embarks on a regreening project
JAKARTA (JP): The City Park Agency will launch a major
regreening project next year, focusing primarily on 17 "slum"
areas in the city.
The project will attempt to establish parks in these locations
where sufficient space is available or to plant more trees where
space is not available.
Agency Chief Dadang Ruskandar said on Wednesday that the parks
will be designed to be community centers where local residents
can gather and relax.
The parks' construction and maintenance will be fully financed
by the agency.
"Each location will receive Rp 200 million (US$21,052) as an
initial investment," Dadang said adding that the money would be
allocated from the maintenance funds of already established parks
which will be maintained by private companies.
Most of the initial setup funds, between Rp 120 million to Rp
150 million, will go towards acquiring the land for the parks.
The 17 locations were identified as Petojo Selatan, Galur and
Karang Anyar subdistricts in Central Jakarta, two locations in
the Tanjung Priok subdistrict and one in the Papanggo subdistrict
in North Jakarta, the Tegal Alur subdistrict and three locations
at Kapuk subdistrict in West Jakarta. Parks will also be
established at the Grogol Utara subdistrict and three locations
at the Kebayoran Lama Utara subdistrict in South Jakarta, along
with the Klender subdistrict and two locations in Rawa Bunga
subdistrict in East Jakarta.
The office has reportedly identified land plots in each
location and most of these are said to be empty or to belong to
the state. The size of the plots vary from 25 square meters to
600 square meters.
"We are still awaiting input from the general public and
especially from non-government organizations to establish the
most appropriate concepts for the projects. We urge the public to
give us information or ideas on this," Dadang remarked.
"We also hope for the public's awareness of the need to really
take care of the parks. We have already established two sample
projects at Pejompongan subdistrict, where the Community Unit Top
Leader is in charge of the park's maintenance," he added.
Dadang also said that seven companies have responded to the
City Administration's offer to privatize the maintenance of parts
of the Semanggi cloverleaf park area in the heart of the city.
The seven companies were said to be PT. Kawan Lama Sejahtera,
PT. Hantar Mandiri, PT. Kinarya Inti Management, PT. Lavenia, PT.
Sunda West, PT. Sandya Nugratama, PT. Dian Group.
Under the proposed arrangement, which was introduced some six
months ago, the companies -- in return for maintaining the parks
-- would be allowed to place their name on the signboard in their
respective areas of management.
The signboards would be similar to advertising billboards
placed on major city streets.
Jakarta used to be home to 529 parks covering an area of
177.29 square kilometers.
But the number has dwindled in recent tears to about 220
parks. Most of the parks have been converted into trading sites,
gas stations, community centers and police posts.
"In the 2001 financial year, we estimate that around 20 to 30
parks will be privatized," Dadang added.
The next parks due to be offered to private companies are
Patung Arjuna Wijaya Park, Jl.Imam Bonjol Park, Patung Kartini
Park, Suropati Park, Lapangan Banteng park, Situ Lembang Park,
Jl. M.H. Thamrin Park and Monas Park in Central Jakarta, Jl.
Rasuna Said Park, Melawai Park and Jl. Panglima Polim Park in
South Jakarta. (dja)