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Jakarta homes in on creating green spaces to mitigate flooding
Following the latest floods that yet again afflicted dozens of areas, paralyzed transportation and displaced thousands in Greater Jakarta, the administration finally seems to be cottoning on to the fact that the original architects of Law No. 26/2007 on spatial planning knew what they were talking about.
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Park benches line a paved walkway in the green space around Ria Rio Reservoir in Pulomas, East Jakarta. (kompas.com via wartakota.tribunnews.com/Stanly Ravel)
T
he Jakarta administration plans to create 55 new green spaces covering 271,653 square meters this year to help absorb runoff from the heavy rainstorms that have battered the city.
In Central Jakarta, the administration plans to build a 5,003-square-meter park in Rawasari subdistrict and a 900 sqm park in Harapan Mulya subdistrict, according to Mila Ananda, the head of the Central Jakarta Park and Forestry Agency. The agency is allocating Rp 1 billion (US$72,105) for the Rawasari park project and Rp 3.5 billion for the Harapan Mulya park project.
"Green spaces are a solution to mitigate flooding and the impacts of extreme rainfall," Mila told The Jakarta Post by phone on Tuesday. "We don't have records on the actual impacts, but floodwaters in those neighborhoods that have green spaces tend to recede faster than [areas] that don't."
Mila said parks had ecological functions that contributed to flood mitigation, water conservation and air quality improvement, as well as social functions like providing a public space that encouraged social interaction.
One example of the dual function of green spaces is Dupa Indah Park in Kebon Jeruk district, West Jakarta, which broke ground in August 2019 and opened in early January. The 800 sqm park has a basketball field, a playground, a wooden gazebo and other facilities. People generally visit the park at around 4:30 p.m.
"This park is meant to serve the public," park security officer Tutut Ariadi said on Monday. "It provides a place for people to interact with each other."
Residents from nearby communities also took shelter at the park during the widespread flooding on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
