A 58,000-square-metre historic site in Floriana, one of the last remaining glacis in the Maltese Islands, is set to be transformed into a public open space through a €7.2 million European-funded rehabilitation project that will include greenhouses, botanical gardens, picnic areas and upgraded pathways.
The project was announced during a site visit by Environment Minister Miriam Dalli and European Funds Minister Keith Azzopardi Tanti to the Jubilee Grove (Pinetum) in the area known as Sa Maison.
A government statement said that work has already commenced on the site, which has historical links dating back to the time of the Knights.
Cleaning works are currently underway, while restoration has begun on the Nissen huts built by the British and later used as storage facilities by a telecommunications company.
The statement said that, as part of the implementation of the National Botanic Gardens masterplan, the structures will be converted into greenhouses and botanical gardens and will also serve as training centres.
"With one project after another, we are continuing to provide more open spaces for the public. This time, we are seeing the rehabilitation of a site that had been abandoned for several years and which, thanks to the work of Project Green, will now be brought back to life. At the same time, this project will be linked to a series of other projects being carried out in the Grand Harbour area," Dalli said.
Azzopardi Tanti said the project represents a significant investment of European funds in a site that had long been neglected.
"With a strong investment of more than €7.2 million in European funds, we are giving new life to this historic 58,000-square-metre area here in Floriana. European funds are a tool to improve people's quality of life, by creating more open spaces for families, increasing the number of trees, and at the same time protecting our historical heritage and environment in a sustainable way," he said.
The visit was also attended by representatives from Project Green, Floriana mayor Nigel Holland and members of the local council, the statement said.
Project manager David Ellul described the rehabilitation as an important step towards making the area accessible to the public while preserving both its environmental and historical value.
"The aim of this project is to give new life to this open space, which for several years had been abandoned and exposed to abuse. Through this rehabilitation, we will be creating recreational picnic areas, upgrading the pathways and, at the same time, respecting the existing topography of the site," Ellul said.