A disused site at Ta’ Ġawhar area in Safi was transformed into a new picnic area and dog park through another investment in the community. The works were carried out by Project Green and Ambjent Malta, in collaboration with the Safi Local Council.
Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli together with Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights Alicia Bugeja Said, Project Green CEO Steve Ellul, Safi Mayor Johan Mula and other Safi local councillors visited the new green open space.
The design of the 1,000-square-metre dog park and picnic area at Ta’ Ġawhar reflects the commitment towards sustainability. Its new outdoor furniture, including picnic tables, is made of sustainable materials, while lighting and security cameras are powered by solar panels. The area’s greenery, including 30 new indigenous trees and 40 shrubs, is watered using rainwater stored in a new reservoir that Project Green built as part of this investment. The agency also built new rubble walls and installed fencing, to ensure the safety of all users of this new open space.
Environment Minister Miriam Dalli explained that this site, which had become an illegal dumping area for all kinds of waste, is now another green open space for nearby residents.
“We are working to increase and regenerate open spaces in all localities, whilst maintaining a strong commitment to quality, accessibility, and sustainability. Project Green is also working closely with all stakeholders so that these open spaces meet the different needs and aspirations of our communities. In this case, we responded to the community’s wish to have a new dog park in the south of the island, while also creating a picnic area which will surely become very popular among families in this area,” Minister Dalli said.
Parliamentary Secretary Bugeja Said stated,“Through this project, we are seeing a thousand square metre open space, where families can spend time outdoors with their dogs. After listening to the public, we understood that we needed more dog parks that are open all day and night. We will continue to work on this model in order to open more dog parks.”
Project Green CEO Steve Ellul stated,“Prioritising water management and harvesting in our parks is one way of facilitating the continued upkeep of the trees and plants we are adding in these open spaces, to ensure longevity.”
The Ta’ Ġawhar Dog Park and Picnic Area is open all day, from Monday to Sunday. It is the eighth open space opened in the past six months. Earlier this year the Ministry opened another new picnic area at the San Klement Park in Żabbar, the regeneration of the Ta’ Qali Dog Park, the Bengħajsa Family Park in Birżebbuġa, the first Green Open Campus at Millbrae Grove in Mosta, the embellishment of the Petting Farm and Minden Grove at Ta’ Qali, the first phase of the restoration of the historic St Philip Gardens in Floriana and the upgrading of Ġnien iż-Żgħażagħ in Gudja.
Inawgurat dog park u picnic area ġdida f’Ħal Safi
Sit li ma kienx jintuża fiż-żona Ta’ Ġawhar f’Ħal Safi nbidel f’żona għall-picnics u park tal-klieb, permezz ta’ investiment ieħor fil-komunità. Dan ix-xogħol sar b’ħidma konġunta bejn Project Green u Ambjent Malta flimkien mal-Kunsill Lokali ta’ Ħal Safi.
Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli flimkien mas-Segretarju Parlamentari għas-Sajd, l-Akwakultura u d-Drittijiet tal-Annimali Alicia Bugeja Said, il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Project Green Steve Ellul, is-Sindku ta’ Ħal Safi Johan Mula u rappreżentanti tal-Kunsill Lokali, żaru dan l-ispazju ġdid.
Fi spazju ta’ madwar 1,000 metru kwadru, ix-xogħol li sar jirrifletti l-impenn lejn is-sostenibbiltà. It-tagħmir ġdid f’dan il-park, fosthom il-bankijiet u l-imwejjed tal-picnics, huma magħmulin minn materjal sostenibbli, filwaqt li d-dawl u l-kameras tas-sigurtà jieħdu l-enerġija mix-xemx permezz ta’ pannelli solari. 30 siġra indiġena ġdida u 40 arbuxell li tħawlu se jissaqqew bl-ilma tax-xita maħżun f’ġibjun ġdid li Project Green bniet bħala parti minn dan l-investiment. Inbena wkoll ħitan tas-sejjieħ u ċnut ġodda, biex tiġi żgurata s-sigurtà tal-viżitaturi.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli spjegat li dan is-sit, li kien mitluq u mtela b’kull tip ta’ skart mormi illegalment, issa huwa spazju miftuħ ieħor għar-residenti tal-inħawi.
“Qed naħdmu biex niftħu aktar spazji fil-lokalitajiet kollha, filwaqt li nirriġeneraw u ntejbu dawk eżistenti. Impenjati biex kull proġett ikun wieħed ta’ kwalità, aċċessibbli u sostenibbli. Project Green qed taħdem mill-qrib ma’ dawk kollha konċernati sabiex dawn l-ispazji miftuħa jissodisfaw il-ħtiġijiet u l-aspirazzjonijiet differenti tal-komunitajiet tagħna. F’dan il-każ, weġibna għax-xewqa tal-komunità li jkun hemm park għall-klieb, filwaqt li noħolqu post għall-picnics li żgur se jkun popolari fost il-familji ta’ dawn l-inħawi,” qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Bugeja Said qalet li, “Permezz ta’ dan il-proġett qed naraw spazju ta’ elf metru kwadru fejn nistgħu nieħdu l-klieb tagħna. Wara r-rispons li rċevejna mill-pubbliku dwar il-parks tal-klieb, iddeċidejna li dan il-park se jibqa’ miftuħ kemm matul il-ġurnata kif ukoll filgħaxija. Ser inkomplu naħdmu fuq dan il-mudell sabiex niftħu iżjed spazji għall-klieb.”
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Proġett Green Steve Ellul qal, “L-importanza tal-immaniġġjar u l-ħażna tal-ilma fil-parks tagħna huwa mod wieħed kif qed niffaċilitaw iż-żamma kontinwa tas-siġar u l-pjanti li qed inżidu f’dawn l-ispazji miftuħa, biex niżguraw li nkunu nistgħu nibqgħu ngawduhom għal ħafna snin.”
Il-park tal-klieb u ż-żona tal-picnics f’Ta’ Ġawhar huma miftuħa l-ġurnata kollha, mit-Tnejn sal-Ħadd. Dan huwa t-tmien spazju miftuħ li tlesta f’dawn l-aħħar sitt xhur. Aktar kmieni din is-sena l-Ministeru fetaħ żona għall-picnics ġdida oħra fil-Park ta’ San Klement f’Ħaż-Żabbar, ir-riġenerazzjoni tal-park tal-klieb f’Ta’ Qali, il-Park tal-Familja f’Bengħajsa ġewwa Birżebbuġa, l-ewwel Green Open Campus f’Millbrae Grove fil-Mosta, it-tisbiħ tal-Petting Farm u Minden Grove f’Ta’ Qali, it-tlestija tal-ewwel fażi tar-restawr ta’ Ġnien San Filippu fil-Furjana u r-riġenerazzjoni ta’ Ġnien iż-Żgħażagħ fil-Gudja.