Madwar 12,000 kontribut fil-konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar it-tliet parks nazzjonali
Pass ieħor biex il-White Rocks jitgawda min-nies
Saru l-ewwel xogħlijiet biex żoni fil-White Rocks ikunu siguri u aċċessibbli għall-pubbliku. Dan tħabbar mill-Ministru għall-Ambjent u l-Enerġija Miriam Dalli, flimkien mat-tim ta’ Project Green. Illum saret ukoll il-preżentazzjoni tar-riżultati tal-konsultazzjoni pubblika Shape Your Space u l-pjan ’il quddiem għat-tliet parks nazzjonali, White Rocks, Manoel Island u Fort Campbell.
Il-konsultazzjoni, li saret bejn Diċembru u April permezz tal-pjattaforma ParksinMalta.mt, ġabret aktar minn 6,000 sottomissjoni. Kif ukoll, matul dan il-proċess, Project Green organizzat madwar 100 workshop u focus groups ma’ mijiet ta’ residenti, studenti, familji, anzjani, kunsilli lokali u NGOs, fejn kien hemm madwar 6,000 parteċipanti oħra.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli qalet li grazzi għal dan il-proċess illum hemm direzzjoni ċara dwar il-prijoritajiet tal-komunitajiet. Hija enfasizzat li l-ispazji miftuħa huma ċentru tal-ħajja komunitarja, fejn il-familji jiltaqgħu, it-tfal jilagħbu u l-komunità tingħaqad.
“Din hija l-politika li rridu nwettqu: politika li ma tħallix art pubblika mitluqa u magħluqa għan-nies. Art pubblika għandha tintuża għall-ġid pubbliku. Fejn hemm bżonn xogħol, dak ix-xogħol isir b’fażijiet, b’responsabbiltà u b’għan ċar. Illum nistgħu ngħidu li l-White Rocks huwa miftuħ b’mod sigur biex jitgawda mill-pubbliku. U minn hawn inkomplu naħdmu biex dan is-sit jinbidel fi spazju nazzjonali miftuħ, sigur, aċċessibbli u denju għall-pajjiż,” qalet il-Ministru Miriam Dalli.
Bħala parti mill-ewwel fażi ta’ dan il-proċess, fil-White Rocks saru xogħlijiet ta’ tindif u sigurtà, fosthom it-tneħħija ta’ aktar minn 22,000 tunnellata ta’ skart tal-kostruzzjoni u strutturi perikolużi. Ġew installati wkoll fencing, sinjali u bankijiet għall-pikniks sabiex il-pubbliku jkun jista’ jidħol fis-sit b’mod aktar sigur u organizzat.
Il-ftuħ ta’ White Rocks se jagħti lill-komunità l-opportunità li terġa’ tiskopri l-potenzjal ta’ dan is-sit, tapprezza l-ambjent eżistenti u tibda timmaġina x’jista’ jinkiseb fil-fażi ta’ riġenerazzjoni li jmiss.
Il-potenzjal tal-White Rocks se jibda jidher ukoll permezz ta’ attivitajiet pubbliċi fuq is-sit, fosthom is-Spring Festival, li se jsir fis-16 u s-17 ta’ Mejju.
Il-kontribuzzjonijiet li waslu permezz tal-konsultazzjoni kienu konsistenti u konkreti. Il-pjan ħolistiku għal dawn it-tliet proġetti qed jitfassal flimkien ma’ Chapman Taylor, ditta internazzjonali bi 13-il studio madwar id-dinja.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Project Green, Joseph Cuschieri, spjega li l-għan tal-kampanja kien li l-pubbliku jinstema’ qabel ma jibda d-disinn. Huwa qal li s-smigħ attiv ta’ studenti, żgħażagħ, familji, anzjani, kunsilli lokali u NGOs wassal għal sett ta’ ideat konkreti li issa se jiġu riflessi fil-pjanijiet ta’ riġenerazzjoni.
Around 12,000 contributions in public consultation on the three national parks
Another step towards opening White Rocks for the public
Initial works have been carried out to make areas at White Rocks safe and accessible to the public. This was announced by Minister for the Environment and Energy Miriam Dalli, together with the Project Green team. The results of the Shape Your Space public consultation and the way forward for the three national parks – White Rocks, Manoel Island and Fort Campbell – were also presented today.
The consultation, which took place between December and April through the ParksinMalta.mt platform, gathered more than 6,000 submissions. In addition, throughout this process, Project Green organised around 100 workshops and focus groups with hundreds of residents, students, families, elderly people, Local Councils and NGOs, with a further approximately 6,000 participants.
Minister Miriam Dalli said that, thanks to this process, there is now a clear direction on communities’ priorities. She emphasised that open spaces are at the heart of community life, where families meet, children play and communities come together.
“This is the policy we want to implement: a policy that does not leave public land abandoned and closed off to people. Public land should be used for the public good. Where work is needed, that work is carried out in phases, responsibly and with a clear purpose. Today we can say that White Rocks is open in a safe manner for the public to enjoy. From here, we will continue working to transform this site into a national open space that is safe, accessible and worthy of the country,” said Minister Miriam Dalli.
As part of the first phase of this process, cleaning and safety works were carried out at White Rocks, including the removal of more than 22,000 tonnes of construction waste and dangerous structures. Fencing, signs and picnic benches were also installed so that the public can access the site in a safer and more organised way.
The opening of White Rocks will give the community the opportunity to rediscover the potential of this site, appreciate the existing environment and begin to imagine what can be achieved in the next regeneration phase.
The potential of White Rocks will also begin to be seen through public activities on site, including the Spring Festival, which will take place on 16 and 17 May.
The contributions received through the consultation were consistent and concrete. The holistic plan for these three projects is being drawn up together with Chapman Taylor, an international firm with 13 studios around the world.
Project Green Chief Executive Joseph Cuschieri explained that the aim of the campaign was for the public to be heard before the design process begins. He said that actively listening to students, young people, families, elderly people, Local Councils and NGOs led to a set of concrete ideas that will now be reflected in the regeneration plans.