Concert area will be first stage of Ta’ Qali national park expansion

Transport minister Ian Borg has unveiled a conceptual sketch for the extension of the Ta’ Qali national park, billed as Malta’s largest green space.

The first stage of the expansion of Ta’ Qali National Park will see the creation of an open space to be used as a zone for cultural activities, Borg said.

Replacing a derelict concrete factory, the 52,000 sq.m park looks like a landscaped green space, with three central ramps appearing from beneath, possibly an underground entrance, as well as a concert stage set at the end of the park.

Borg today posted an artistic rendition of what the first stage of the project would look like. It depicts a large grassed-over area, with a structure shown at the far end of the green area for concerts and national activities.

Missing from the conceptual image are any of the 80,000 new trees which former environment minister José Herrera had pledged to plant as part of the new €20 million park, which when integrated with the rest of the Ta’ Qali zone will be the size of 63 football pitches, or 450,000 sq.m in total.

The image accompanies news that a first tender for €15 million in works has been issued by the ministry. “It will start with planning and the zone’s development for artistic and cultural activities in an open space,” Borg said.

The park is just part of the entire project, which is set to make use of pockets of land which had otherwise been inaccessible by people, in order to maximise the area’s usage.

A footpath leading to Chadwick Lakes will be built as part of the park’s nature trail, while the existing dog parks in the area will be made larger. A new campsite will also be built, and cycling and jogging trails will also be part of the project.

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