Development on what is being referred to as a Concert Area, adjacent to Ta’ Qali gardens, is well underway as part of the Malta National Park Project 2022, and further developments in the surrounding area is expected.
On Wednesday, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg payed a visit to this area which he explained was previously a concrete factory that had to be demolished and later turned into a dumping site that generated a lot of criticism.
He believed that it would make more sense for the government to take this land from the private sector and used more practically as a place for entertainment, both for public leisure activities and for events. Despite being dubbed as the Concert Area in the overall Malta National Park Project 2022, this space will be open for the public when there are no events.
The space is expected to host multiple activities when it is not being used for events as well, ones that will promote things like reading and artisanship.
The ongoing works currently involve the shifting of the materials in the ground so as to bring back the natural soil to the surface and remove any waste that was dumped in the area.
Borg explained that the developers will be closing down roads around the Ta’ Qali area in order to create more space for this project. This means that the parking from these closed roads will all be lost, but the Minister said that an underground parking area will be installed underneath the park itself to make up for this.
There will also be a water pump system throughout the park which will water the 80,000 square meters of trees that will be inhibited here. The space is expected to be one of the most sustainable projects of the Infrastructure Ministry with the alternative methods of energy generation being used for lighting, for example.
Valletta Cultural Agency Chairman Jason Micallef said that the environmental aspect is at the core of this project since once everything is ready, Ta’ Qali will be the largest greenspace in Malta.
Notably, this area is just one element of the project but there are different areas around Ta’ Qali that will be facing changes, like an upgrade to the farmers market and the installation of a jogging track for anyone who enjoys running around the ring road which is estimated to be 4km long. There will also be the regeneration of the pitkalija and even the dog park will be seeing an expansion.
“This is a holistic point of view that will truly characterise it as Malta’s National Park,” Micallef said, pointing out that this approach will also stretch beyond the park itself as the Central Link Project will provide better traffic management in this area.