Taman Ria park gets first visitors

JAKARTA (JP): Children from the Assyafi'iah orphanage in East Jakarta swarmed through the nearly completed Taman Ria Senayan amusement park on Saturday.

Screams and laughter rang out as older junior high students whirled through the loops of the roller coaster. The youngsters also slammed into each other in electronic bumper cars.

Some looked eagerly at the ferris wheel but it was not operational.

The 150 elementary and junior high school students were among the first guests to the park, which officially opens in September.

The park management is using weekends "to practice serving special guests", said public relations staff Monika Irayati of PT Armo Cipta Intersarana, the company which manages the park.

The children were escorted by the winners of the 1996 Abang dan None Jakarta (Mr. and Miss Jakarta) contest, and did their own share of entertaining by reading poetry.

Titi, 14, a second year student in junior high school, said the visit was nothing new. She and her friends at the orphanage are lucky to receive many invitations to amusement parks. Sponsors have also arranged for trips outside the city, she added.

"I love holidays because we always get invitations to parks, or go to Bandung," she said.

Apart from being part of the park's trial operation service which runs to July 13, the event was also held in conjunction with the city's anniversary on June 22, Monika said.

Fauzi Bowo, head of the Jakarta Tourism Board, hoped the Taman Ria Senayan, would offer a new family recreational site for Jakartans. The park will charge Rp 3,000 for entrance fees.

"This park is in a good location so I hope it gives people another choice," he added. The capital's other amusement park, Dunia Fantasi recreation park, is in North Jakarta. (12)