Last Updated on Sunday, 7 April, 2024 at 8:51 am by Andre Camilleri
Regeneration works to make this public garden more secure and accessible
The ongoing regeneration of Independence Garden, one of Birżebbuġa’s most popular gardens, will give this open space a new lease of life, with more greenery, improved facilities, and increased accessibility for all.
Minister for the Environment, Energy, and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour Miriam Dalli, Project Green CEO Joseph Cuschieri, Birżebbuġa Mayor Scott Camilleri, together with members from the Birżebbuġa Local Council, visited the garden to follow the ongoing works and meet the Project Green team coordinating the renovation works.
The 1,500 square-metre Independence Garden (Ġnien l-Indipendenza) has long served as a cherished leisure and relaxation spot for the local community. However, the area needed major repairs and improvements, as some of its structures were becoming unsafe to visitors.
Project Green is renovating the garden with new ramps for increased accessibility, new paved areas, canopies for shading, the refurbishment of the existing water feature, a new irrigation system, new trees and shrubs, and other improvements.
Minister Miriam Dalli explained that through Project Green and other entities, the government is implementing an unprecedented investment in the creation of new open spaces in the community, as well as the revival of existing ones.
“We are adding many new family parks, such as the Bengħajsa Family Park, which we opened in this locality last year. However, we also recognise that smaller gardens in our residential areas are essential open spaces for our communities. These are the places where many people stop by for a few minutes of rest, where children come to play with other children in the same area, where families and friends meet. This is why we are adding many of these spaces in different localities. We are also working with different stakeholders to renovate the ones we already have, so that they are more sustainable, safer and more comfortable,” Minister Miriam Dalli said.
Jessica Galea, Architect at Project Green, spoke about the agency’s mission to enhance the quality of life for residents through the implementation of green projects. She further emphasised the importance of ensuring that the projects are accessible, in order to foster sustainable communities and a healthier environment for all, “Accessibility is vital in our mission, as we strive to cultivate environments where residents can thrive and connect with nature, while fostering a healthier and more sustainable future for all,” Architect Galea said.
The agency is currently engaged in several environmental projects in Malta and Gozo, including the recently announced transformation of 8,000 square metres of developable land into new open spaces for the residents of Lija, Luqa, Ta’ Ġiorni in San Ġiljan and Kirkop. Preparatory works to open these new open spaces are well underway.
Earlier this year, Project Green opened Malta’s first pollinator garden in San Gwann – a 1,000 square metre open space featuring a unique educational experience on the importance of bees and pollination for Malta’s biodiversity. In 2023, Project Green opened several other new parks and public gardens, adding up 40,000 square metres of open spaces in different localities.
