Sutiyoso says Menteng park will not for commerce

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso promised that the conversion of the historic Menteng soccer stadium in Central Jakarta into a multipurpose city park would not include a provision for commercial premises in the park.

The planned conversion has been criticized by many people who assume a hidden agenda on the part of the administration to develop the area for commercial purposes.

"I assure you that not a single spot in the park will be used for commercial purposes," Sutiyoso said at City Hall on Tuesday.

Sutiyoso acknowledged that the conversion plan called for a spacious parking lot at the park, at least a quarter of the 3.4 hectares currently occupied by the stadium.

But he said sufficient parking was necessary to reduce chronic traffic congestion in the area.

"When the parking lot is operational, we will restrict on- street parking in the area," he said.

Traffic congestion is common in the area around the stadium because many building tenants and visitors park on the streets.

The Jakarta Post saw that parked vehicles on Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto often occupied two of the street's three lanes, leaving only one lane for traffic.

Sutiyoso said the soccer stadium was being converted into a park because residents needed more open and green spaces.

The ultimate goal for the city is to develop 13 percent of the 650 square kilometers of the capital into open and green spaces. Currently, 9 percent of the capital is categorized as green space.

Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo acknowledged that the administration would find it difficult to reach the 13 percent target.

"We are in dire need of more comprehensive measures to develop open and green spaces. Otherwise, we will fail to achieve the target," Fauzi told the Post.

Meanwhile City Sports Agency head Taufik Yudi said the administration would renovate soccer fields in Roxy, West Jakarta, and the Lapangan Banteng soccer field in Central Jakarta, in exchange for the soccer stadium in Menteng.

Taufik said the administration would also move the home training ground for Jakarta soccer team Persija to the Lebak Bulus soccer stadium in South Jakarta. The team had trained at the Menteng stadium since 1961.

Separately, City Parks Agency head Sarwo Handhayani said her office was finalizing preparations for the conversion project, which is expected to cost about Rp 45 billion.

"Hopefully, we can start construction early next year," Sarwo said, adding that the cost of the project would be paid for entirely by taxpayer money.

She said the new park would include green space, a playground and sports facilities like a jogging track and a futsal field.

The conversion plan is strongly opposed by numerous parties, including from the City Council and the Indonesia Landscape Architects Study Group, which underlined the status of the Menteng stadium as a historic site.

The stadium was part of the country's first modern city park and was designed by architect P.A.J Moojen in 1910.

A gubernatorial decree on the preservation of heritage buildings and historic sites classified the stadium, originally called by the Dutch name Voetbalbond Indische Omstreken, or Viosveld, as a historic site.