Senayan exhibit publicizes 'urban forest' blueprint

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.