Pekanbaru Preparing Infrastructure For National Sports Week

Pekanbaru, Riau, Oct 18 (ANTARA) - Pekanbaru city of Riau province is preparing its infrastructural facilities for the holding of the 18th National Sports Week (PON) in September 2012.

"Among the infrastructural facilities being prepared are man-made lake and Siak III and IV bridges," Pekanbaru Mayor Herman Abdullah said here on Monday.

He said that the two bridges which connected various venues on Jalan Sudirman in Pekanbaru should have been completed and functioned well before the sports events took place.

The regional government of Pekanbaru city also planned to turn urban roads into a "green belt" with shadowy trees. "We have set ourselves a target of having planted 10,000 trees at the end of this year," the mayor said.

The trees are being planted in several sections of protocol roads which so far were still less green such as those on Jalan Juanda, Jalan Riau and Jalan Subrantas.

A man-made lake as the venue for the water ski event is also being prepared with funds taken from the Riau 2010 revised budget (APBD).

"We have set aside a fund for its construction from the APBD," Mayor Herman said.

Small-and Medium Enterprises (SME) are now being prepared to welcome the PON. They are directed to produce souvenirs. They are expected to provide handicraft products and meet the need for souvenirs during the national sports events.

"We hope that the souvenir market for the PON event would not be taken by traders from outside Riau province. Therefore, local SME should be prepared from now to sell their product during the PON," the mayor said.