Written by Jacob Callus and Miguel Azzopardi

The recent proposed extension to Ta’ Qali National Park has stirred up a great deal of controversy. The artist’s impression of the proposed design looks like anything but a ‘park’.

The extension is characterised by a flyover, concert area, high steel structures, and an overall lack of greenery in comparison to a high proportion of concrete. The concert area not only characterizes the planned extension but dominates the plan – occupying most of the space. It appears to be designed with the usual Infrastructure Malta logic: choose complex, expensive infrastructure over simpler, more natural, and often more effective, interventions.

A Flyover in Ta’ Qali?

The building of a flyover was not justified or explained. From speculation, it appears it will serve the purpose of an elevated cycle lane, seemingly to be used also by joggers. Whilst the extension as a whole will undoubtedly serve as a greater collection of open spaces for the general public, a daunting elevated cycle lane, concert area, and flyover will certainly dampen any leisure or intended relaxation. Ultimately, a park is meant to both an open, natural and public space – yet the design crushes the very spirit of this aim.

C is for Concrete, Concert and Commercialization

Put simply, this proposed extension is dominated by a concert venue but is being advertised as a park. Incorporating a concert area not only commercializes the Ta’ Qali area, but destroys a number of trees which seemingly disappear in the renderings. The generous use of concrete in the boulevards, concert venue and flyover begs the question of who actually benefits from this extension. IM regularly engages contractors and the construction industry for its projects, in ways which are questionable – especially when ODZ land is involved.

Accommodating the interests of these contractors and developers, seems to be – time and time again – the top priority. This is done at the expense of the public interest whose interests in such projects are secondary. Will this artificial extension be used as another direct-order-opportunity for these profit-making groups?

Disconnecting from Nature

Parks are generally designed to imitate nature, serving as a place for reconnection with nature, away from our overdeveloped urban areas. They should integrate nature into their design, and not be at odds with it. Designs shouldn’t cater for noise, concrete, and discomfort, but accommodate leisure, relaxation and recreation. What this proposal is doing instead is concreting over large areas with wide boulevards with trees to be admired ‘from a distance’. Rather than reconnecting with nature, this extension reinforces our separation from it, although in a way more subtle than building over it outright.

Read more on Extinction Rebellion Malta‘s fight for the Environment here!

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