Regeneration project will include a wind tree and kinetic flooring
Ġnien il-Kunsill in Xewkija will become Gozo’s first carbon neutral garden through a project by Project Green and the Xewkija Local Council. The garden will include a wind tree, kinetic flooring, and other innovative renewable energy technologies.
Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli, Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri, Xewkija Mayor Hubert Saliba and Project Green CEO Steve Ellul, announced details of the project during a visit to this garden, which will be transformed into an eco-garden powered by renewable energy generated within the same site.
The plans submitted to the Planning Authority propose the regeneration of this 744-square-metre garden into a self-sufficient green open space, with new reservoirs and advanced irrigation systems that reduce water waste, new trees and shrubs, and solar-powered light poles. Project Green and the Local Council will also introduce other renewable energy systems, including a wind tree, which generates electricity through small wind turbines, and kinetic flooring, an innovative technology with surfaces that convert visitors’ kinetic energy into electricity as they walk, work out or run over them.
The garden’s play equipment will be replaced with kinetic jumping pods and spring riders that generate lights and sounds as children play with them. New climbing structures, slides and tunnels that blend in with the garden’s environment, and a balancing trail made of recycling plastic are also included in the garden’s new design.
The garden will also have USB charging stations and benches for persons who visit this open space to work or study. Project Green is also proposing circular benches around some of the garden’s existing trees. Pathways will not be covered in concrete or other impermeable surface but will instead be formed out of mesh and gravel, to increase rainwater absorption.
Minister Miriam Dalli explained that the opening of Malta’s first carbon neutral garden in Kalkara last year was very positively received, and the Environment Ministry and its entities are working to create more of these sustainable open spaces.
“We are collaborating with different stakeholders, including local councils, to revive existing gardens, while creating new ones. The principal aim of our seven-year plan is to ensure that wherever you live, study or work in Malta and Gozo, you can find a green open space a short walk away. At the same time, we want our open spaces to be more sustainable through rainwater harvesting infrastructure, indigenous trees and shrubs, recyclable materials, and renewable energy technologies,” stated Minister Dalli.
Minister Clint Camilleri stated that he looks forward to seeing the first eco garden in Gozo. “We promised to offer more green open spaces even in Gozo, and are doing this not only through this project but through several others, such as the Learning Garden that we have just opened in Għajnsielem and the Victoria Park project, which is currently undergoing a public consultation process, and which will consist of an underground car park and an open space with a park on 20 acres of land in the heart of Victoria. We are committed to continue working to reach the Government’s goal of adding more public recreational spaces to improve the quality of people’s life,” stated Minister Camilleri.
Xewkija Mayor Hubert Saliba and Project Green CEO Steve Ellul explained that the two entities are making the necessary preparations to complete this project by the end of 2024. The Mayor explained that the application for the required development permits has already been submitted and the public call for the required materials and services will be issued later this year. Project Green CEO said that the works contract will also include a 10-year maintenance plan, in line with the Agency’s commitment to longer-lasting, properly-maintained green open spaces that can continue to be enjoyed by the community for many years.
Ġnien fix-Xewkija se jsir l-ewwel ġnien carbon neutral f’Għawdex
Il-proġett ta’ riġenerazzjoni se jinkludi wind tree u kinetic flooring
Waqt żjara f’dan il-ġnien mill-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli u l-Ministru għall-Għawdex Clint Camilleri, is-Sindku tax-Xewkija Hubert Saliba u l-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Project Green Steve Ellul, ġew spjegati d-dettalji ta’ dan il-proġett hekk kif dan il-ġnien se jkun trasformat fi ġnien ekoloġiku.
Il-pjanijiet li tressqu quddiem l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar jipproponu r-riġenerazzjoni ta’ dan il-ġnien ta’ madwar 744 metru kwadru biex isir spazju aħdar mill-aktar effiċjenti u awto suffiċjenti. Dan il-ġnien se jinkludi ġibjuni ġodda b’sistemi ta’ tisqija avvanzati li jnaqqsu l-ħela tal-ilma, siġar u arbuxelli ġodda u sistemi ta’ dawl li jaħdmu permezz ta’ pannelli solari.
Project Green flimkien mal-Kunsill Lokali se jintroduċu sistemi oħra ta’ enerġija rinnovabbli, inkluża wind tree li tiġġenera l-elettriku permezz ta’ turbini tar-riħ żgħar, u kinetic flooring – teknoloġija innovattiva li titwaħħal mal-art u li tiġġenera l-elettriku meta dawk li jżuru l-ġnien jgħaddu minn fuqha bil-mixi jew ġiri.
It-tagħmir tal-logħob tat-tfal se jinbidel biex flokhom isiru kinetic jumping pods u spring riders li jiġġeneraw dawl u ħsejjes waqt li t-tfal ikunu qed jilgħabu. Ġnien il-Kunsill se jkun attrezzat ukoll b’logħob ġodda, bħal strutturi li tixxabbat magħhom, żrieżaq u mini li jikkumplimentaw l-ambjent ta’ dan il-ġnien, flimkien ma’ balancing trail magħmula minn plastik riċiklabbli.
Il-ġnien se jkollu wkoll USB charging stations u bankijiet għal dawk li jżuru dan l-ispazju miftuħ biex jaħdmu jew jistudjaw. Project Green qed tipproponi li f’dan is-sit ikun hemm ukoll bankijiet tondi madwar is-siġar eżistenti. L-aġenzija qed tara li ma jkunx hemm passaġġi miksija bil-konkos jew materjal ieħor simili. Minflok, dan il-ġnien se jkollu passaġġi b’materjali permeabbli li jassorbu l-ilma tax-xita.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli spjegat li l-ftuħ tal-ewwel ġnien carbon neutral f’pajjiżna, fil-Kalkara, is-sena li għaddiet, intlaqa’ tajjeb ħafna u għalhekk l-entitajiet tal-Ministeru qed jaħdmu biex joħolqu aktar spazji miftuħa sostenibbli bħalu.
“Qed nikkollaboraw ma’ diversi entitajiet u individwi involuti f’dan il-qasam, fosthom il-kunsilli lokali, biex flimkien nerġgħu nagħtu l-ħajja lil ġonna eżistenti, filwaqt li nkomplu noħolqu spazji ħodor ġodda. L-għan prinċipali tal-pjan ta’ seba’ snin tagħna hu li niżguraw li kull fejn tgħix, tistudja jew taħdem f’Malta u Għawdex, issib spazju miftuħ viċin. Fl-istess waqt, iridu li dawn l-ispazji miftuħa jkunu aktar sostenibbli permezz ta’ infrastruttura li taħżen l-ilma tax-xita, iżjed siġar u arbuxelli indiġeni, materjali riċiklabbli u teknoloġiji t’enerġija rinnovabbli,” sostniet il-Ministru Dalli.
Il-Ministru Clint Camilleri qal li jħares ’il quddiem sabiex jara l-ewwel eco garden jinfetaħ fil-gżira Għawdxija. “Dak li wegħdna, li noffru aktar spazji miftuħa u spazji ħodor lin-nies, qed inwettquh anki f’Għawdex mhux biss permezz ta’ dan il-proġett imma oħrajn bħal-Learning Garden li għadna kif inawgurajna f’Għajnsielem u l-proġett Victoria Park li bħalissa għaddej il-proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni dwaru, u li se jikkonsisti mhux biss f’parkeġġ taħt l-art imma wkoll spazju miftuħ b’park fuq 20 tomna fiċ-ċentru tar-Rabat. Kommessi li nkomplu naħdmu sabiex tintlaħaq il-mira tal-Gvern li nżidu aktar postijiet ta’ rikreazzjoni pubbliċi sabiex inkomplu ntejbu l-kwalità tal-ħajja tan-nies,” tenna l-Ministru Camilleri.
Is-Sindku Hubert Saliba u l-Kap Eżekuttiv Steve Ellul spjegaw kif iż-żewġ entitajiet għaddejjin b’ħidma biex dan il-proġett jitlesta sa tmiem is-sena 2024. Is-Sindku spjega li l-applikazzjoni għall-permessi ta’ dan il-proġett diġà ġew sottomessi, filwaqt li s-sejħa pubblika għall-materjali u s-servizzi meħtieġa se toħroġ aktar tard dis-sena. Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Project Green qal li l-kuntratt tax-xogħolijiet jinkludi wkoll pjan ta’ manutenzjoni għal għaxar snin, bħala parti mill-impenn tal-Aġenzija biex proġetti bħal dawn jiġu miżmuma sew u b’hekk jibqgħu jitgawdew mill-komunità fis-snin li ġejjin.