T

he Surakarta administration is continuing its commitment to develop Balekambang Park, built by King KGPAA Mangkunegaran VII on Oct. 26, 1921, by organizing the Balekambang Art Market to celebrate the park’s 91st anniversary.

 “This is a way to keep Balekambang Park alive and draw people to it,” said Endang Sri Murniati, head of the administration unit of Balekambang Park, on Thursday.

“We hope that such events will attract more and more people to the park,” she added.

The 9.8-hectare park, initially dedicated to the king’s twin daughters, turned into the home of prostitutes and thugs between 1980 and 2007.

Former Surakarta mayor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo revitalized the park and relocating the slum dwellers that used to inhabit the area around the park. The newly refurbished park was reopened in 2009.

The number of visitors, Endang said, reaches 1,000 to 1,500 per day. The number increases 10 times when the park management holds certain events. There is no admission to enter the park. Visitors only need to spend Rp 1,000 (10 US cent) or Rp 2,000 for parking.

Surakarta Culture and Tourism Agency head Widdi Srihanto said that reviving the park might boost the city’s tourism, while at the same time maintaining the city’s green environment.

The park previously held a number of cultural events like music concerts and the Ramayana ballet.

As for Balekambang Art Market, there are around 40 vendors taking part, with most of them offering handicraft and art items. The cultural market will finish on Sunday.