Senayan exhibit publicizes 'urban forest' blueprint

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"Why is Senayan becoming a commercial area?"

"Why are there so many hawkers in the Bung Karno sports complex? Aren't you going to do something about them?"

These were some of the questions posed by visitors to officials from the Bung Karno Sports Complex Management (BP GBK) during "The History of the Bung Karno Sports Complex" exhibition at the atrium in Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday.

The officials explained that the fees from the commercial operations were needed to finance the maintenance of sports facilities, and that the street vendors would be relocated in line with the establishment of an "urban forest" in the complex's east parking lot.

The exhibition, which continues on Wednesday, displays old footage and a video presentation describing the inspiring history of the complex since its establishment in 1962.

The Senayan management's director of general affairs, Soeharto, told The Jakarta Post that the event was an effort to garner public support for the establishment of the urban forest and the rearrangement of the facilities within the complex.

"We need the public to be aware of our plan," he said, adding that people could help in various ways, including by desisting from littering inside the complex.

He was reluctant to say that the event was also meant to promote the complex as a national heritage site.

"That's between the President and the House of Representatives -- it's not up to us," he said.

Earlier, the executive director of the Senayan management, Yasidi Hambali, had said that the 279-hectare complex would be free from (unregistered) vendors, while the registered ones would be confined to a number of places inside the complex.

He also said that the complex would have an appropriate ambience as a national heritage center -- something that has been urged by the House, the city administration and the State Secretariat, to which the Senayan management is accountable.

He stressed that the management would commence the Rp 20 billion (US$2.35 million) project next month.

The project, to be finished in eight months time, will involve removing the asphalt from the 80,000-square-meter parking lot, the drilling of 80 artesian wells, fencing work and the planting of 500,000 trees.