To create a new sports culture with the main aim of increasing participation in sport and physical activities, the need for facilities is a sine qua non condition. In the last few years, the Nationalist administration has constructed a new, modern school every year, which has ensured that the best facilities are available for our children to practise sport and physical education certainly during school hours and beyond. A high number of different sports entities and members of the community make use of these amenities after school hours and during the weekend.

British services’ recreational facilities

The British Services constructed a number of recreational facilities and when they left Malta, at the end of the Defence Agreement, these facilities became the property of the Maltese Government and were eventually used by different clubs and sport entities. The grounds at Corradino, Pembroke, Ħal Safi, St Andrew’s, the Independence Arena, Mtarfa, Għajn Tuffieħa and elsewhere come quickly to mind.

The most spacious is the one at Marsa, which has an impressive history going back to the 1880s. It includes an athletics track, a horse racing course, turf pitches for rugby, a baseball pitch, two netball courts and a basketball court, while the Marsa Club includes a golf course, tennis courts, a cricket pitch, squash courts and other sports facilities.

From Victoria to Cottonera

In the late 1980s and early 1990s the Nationalist administration at the time embarked on a much-needed project when it erected the sports complex in Victoria that was opened by Dr Eddie Fenech Adami on 5 April 1990.

The complex, which was opened for the Small Nations Games in 2003, caters for a number of sports disciplines and clubs as well as the public and includes the National Pool and the University sports hall. There are also facilities such as squash courts, a fitness centre and a dance studio, which will soon be joined by a children’s fitness centre and a snooker academy.

Another impressive complex was constructed at Cottonera and opened on 1 March 2003. This comprises two halls that are used for badminton and volleyball that have been upgraded recently to host international futsal tournaments. It has its own fitness centre, martial arts studio and a number of other facilities. This complex, like the one in Gozo, proved very popular with local residents and an increasing number of people are now interested in physical training and sport.

A new state-of-the art complex in Kirkop

A few days ago the Prime Minister officially opened yet another regional sports complex. This new complex, at Kirkop, covers an area of about 5,000 square meters and is intended to cater for the needs of students at St Benedict’s College, members of the local community and sports organisations. The complex caters for 15 sports disciplines, including volleyball, basketball, netball, dance, judo and gymnastics. The shooting simulator at the new complex is not only a novelty but provides the possibility of recruiting talent in sports shooting from a very early age, as it uses no real firearms. Imagine if William Chetcuti, Frans Pace or Nathan Xuereb had had something similar in their early days.

These new facilities are an addition to the school facilities already available at St Benedict’s, including a football pitch and an athletics track.

Partnering sports associations

Since 2008 we have provided, or modernised, 33 football pitches and over the next 15 months we will be completing yet another 19. This means that Malta’s 52 football clubs will all have modern facilities – at least for training purposes. No fewer than 9,000 children, members of football nurseries, will be benefiting from this investment. This investment has been made possible as a result of collaboration with the Malta Football Association and UEFA.

Together with the Malta Basketball Association we will be building two new basketball courts for youth development purposes. Similarly, we have helped the Motor Sport Federation to build a karting track, the Boċċi Federation to renovate its pitches and hopefully we will soon reach an agreement with the Malta Rugby Football Union. In the meantime 31 associations are using sporting facilities in 15 state schools.

Despite the difficult international economic circumstances, our national budget for sport has doubled since 2008.

Fitness and obesity

It is a pleasure to note that an increasing number of people are showing an interest in physical training and fitness programmes. More people are taking up walking and jogging as their favourite past time and to keep in shape, which is why we have opened, free of charge, three athletics tracks in three different state colleges.

Private fitness centres are also well patronised, while those made available by the state and local councils are also attracting a good number of participants, who follow programmes and projects that the KMS continually provides for the members of society.

The need for physical exercise seems to be more accepted these days and the new approach is the result of constant endeavour – that could hardly be possible without modern facilities.