The Birgu Ditch project undertaken by the Restoration Directorate was inaugurated today by Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government, Owen Bonnici, and Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds, Ian Borg.

The project, which cost €1,043,000, was co-financed by the EU and took just over a year to finish. In the past the area was used as a public garden, however at a point it was left completely neglected for a number of years. It was recognized that the site had immense potential both as a recreational space and as a historically significant site.

Parliamentary Secretary Borg spoke of the designs done by the Restoration Directorate  with the final aim of joining the two previously mentioned elements of recreation and history while focusing on accessibility and the betterment of routes going to various parts of Cottonera in a sort of ‘Heitage Trail’.

In fact, the original concept for the design was to create passageways to cross the ditch itself and which will eventually take one to the old entrance to Birgu, the ‘Couvre Porte’ all the way from the ports of Kalkara.

The design was also made in such a way so as to better integrate and emphasize the many archeological findings within this historical site.

Minister Bonnici also went on to thank all those involved for their hard work and expressed that the site should now give back to the public in terms of education and a picturesque place to relax. 

Photos Michael Camilleri and DOI