The remodeled park in Barito, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, which will be opened in March, does not meet the basic requirements of a city park, says city landscape expert.

Indonesian Landscape Architectural Study Group (Kelompok Studi Arsitektur Lansekap Indonesia) chairman Nirwono Joga said a city park must have big trees and large lawns, and both were not found at Taman Ayodya in Barito.

The trees in the park, mainly palm trees, are not suitable for city parks in tropical countries, he said.

“We, tropical people, need shelter from the scorching sun.

“The design of a good city park has to have at least 60 percent green space, but the new park has more hardscape than lawn.”

Basuki Triwidodo, winner of the landscape competition and whose design was used, said he was not involved in the development of the park. He said there were some design features that the administration  did not use.

“I planned six absorbing wells so rainwater would flow to the lake to maintain the quality of the lake’s water,” he said. “I also planned a playground and fitness section for kids and sports fans.”

The park has been a part of Kebayoran Baru since 1948. One by one, vendors started to surround the park in the 1970s, until there were about 100 shops in the 1980s.  

They sold pets and flowers.

They were forced to move from the area in 2008.

A former flower vendor Yahya said the vendors asked to be allowed to sell flowers at the park, but the administration rejected their proposal.

The vendors, supported by several figures including culinary celebrity Bondan Winarno, said a flower market in the park would attract more people, even tourists.

Heru Bambang, head of South Jakarta Park Agency, said the park was intended for social interaction.

But without much to offer, except benches, palms, a fountain and a lake, the park fails to attract many visitors.

On a recent Monday, the new park looked deserted despite the sunny weather.

Only seven people sat under a big old tree in one corner of the 7,500-meter-square park.

Lia and Ema, office workers from a nearby building, said it was their first time visiting the park.

They both said it would be nicer if the flower vendors still operated.

“It is not unusual that residents around the park do not want to visit the park,” Nirwono said.

Many of the flower shops were owned by residents, and they were not even included in the planning of the park.  

Sudrajat, 47, a nearby softdrink vendor nearby said the park looked good lit up at night.

“The park has more visitors in the afternoon when people stop by after work,” he said.

Linda Mulyani, head of the green space divisions at the city parks agency, said the park was revamped with a buget of Rp 2.1 billion. (iwp)

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