City to build 70 public parks by end of this year
City to build 70 public parks by end of this year
JAKARTA (JP): The construction of 70 public parks in slum and
densely populated areas in the city's five mayoralties will be
completed before the end of this year, an official said on
Thursday.
Head of the City Parks Agency, Dadang Ruskandar, said land
appropriation for the planned parks commenced earlier this year
and have, so far, yet to receive rejections from residents.
"We hope that by the end of this year, we can complete the
construction of the parks," Dadang told reporters.
He said each of the parks will need a plot of between 250
square meters and 400 square meters.
He estimated that the construction of each park will cost Rp
200 million (US$20,408), including Rp 120 million for land
appropriation.
The construction of 70 public parks, worth in total Rp 14
billion (US$1.4 million), will add to the city's green areas
which currently cover 177.29 square kilometers or 6.7 percent of
the total width of Jakarta.
Jakarta used to be home to 529 parks, but some 270 of them
have been converted to other functions such as gas stations,
community centers and police posts.
Dadang said his office had returned 11 sites to their original
function as public parks last year, and planned to reconvert 14
other plots of land into public parks this year.
"We hope that within the next five years, green areas might
reach 13 percent although ideally they should be 25 percent of
the total width of the city," he said.
Dadang said that he had invited public and private
institutions to participate in designing the parks.
Besides the parks, he said, his office has also invited the
public to submit designs for a public clock as part of
construction plans for Jl. Satrio in South Jakarta.
The construction of the clock will cost Rp 450 million and can
hopefully be completed this year, he said.
He said the winner of the clock design contest will be awarded
Rp 5 million, while the five best designs will be awarded Rp 2
million each.
The city currently operates 25 public clocks, including 10
located on streets in Central Jakarta, 10 in South Jakarta, three
in West Jakarta, and one clock each in North Jakarta and East
Jakarta respectively.
In an effort to beautify the city, the agency has also planned
to build 30 aesthetic ornaments, including statues, which will be
placed in 30 separate locations, Dadang said.
"The construction of 30 aesthetic ornaments are currently
being proposed to the Governor," he said, without giving details
on all the designated places.
The aesthetic ornaments will include statues of three National
heroes; M.H. Thamrin, Gen. Sudirman and Sisingamangaraja which
will be placed on the streets of Jl. M.H. Thamrin in Central
Jakarta, Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. Sisingamangaraja, both in
South Jakarta. (jun)