REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SOLO — The revitalization work of Balekambang Park in Solo City (Surakarta), Central Java, is reportedly in the final stages. Mayor of Solo Gibran Rakabuming Raka hopes that Balekambang Park can be opened to the public during the 2024 Eid Lebaran holiday.

Gibran reviewed Balekambang Park live on Tuesday (13/2/2024). According to him, currently the revitalization project remains in the completion (finishing) stage. It is targeted that the revitalization work will be completed on the anniversary of Solo City, February 17.

“Anyway, we got everything, according to the timeline, on track. Let's try it on the anniversary of Solo City on February 17th. It's ready, just finishing a little bit,” Gibran said.

Gibran expects Balekambang Park to be ready to open to the public during the upcoming Lebaran holiday, so that it can also be visited by returning residents. “If you can before that (fasting month) it is ready so that it can be enjoyed by visitors. (Holiday Lebaran) Hopefully,” he said.

Asked about the condition of Balekambang Park after the revitalization, Gibran submitted it to the public to evaluate it. He only confirmed Taman Balekambang to be one of the centers of Javanese culture in Solo.

“Let the citizens judge. It is clear that Balekambang as a center of Javanese culture has been well revitalized. It remains our duty, society, and culture to help nurture and fill with creative content, gamelan, puppetry, ketoprak, or other activities involving young people and other creative friends,” Gibran said.

In the future, it is rumored that the management of Balekambang Park will be carried out by a third party. According to Gibran, the City Government (Pemkot) of Solo will soon decide on the management side. “There are already several, we will decide soon who the operator is. Let it be managed more professionally and well maintained. According to the procedure, there is a division of the result,” he said.

The Head of the Central Java Regional Development Planner Hall of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), Kuswara, assessed that Balekambang Park has now become more modern. There was the addition of a number of facilities in it.

“Now it's more open, more organized. The new building there is a gastronomic, performance space, now turned more modern. Plants we added, there are pule plants, ketapang kencana. Gastronomy can be for coffee shops, food courts,” Kuswara said.

According to Kuswara, the physical work of revitalizing this Balekambang Park has been completed. However, there are still a number of improvements to be made. He said the contractor was still in charge until next June.

“Yes, the paint repairs are dull, there are collapsed trees, there are broken stones, minor damage, nothing significant. As of June, if there is damage, the contractor is still liable. Managementally, we are ready to hand over to the municipality, as soon as possible,” Kuswara said.

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