Family Park In Massive Żurrieq Landfill Will Be Nine Times The Size Of Malta’s National Stadium
A landfill nine times the size of Malta’s national football stadium is set to be transformed into a massive park, Environment Minister Jose Herrera has announced.
Wied Fulija in Żurrieq, which has impressive views of Malta’s coast and Filfla, has served as a landfill since the 1970s, but the Environment and Resources Authority announced last year it plans to convert it into a park.
Herrera officially launched the project today, announcing it will cost some €4 million, which will be absorbed from EU funds. Works have already begun and are expected to be completed by December 2023.
“Sometimes you have to take land for infrastructure, sometimes you have to give land back,” Herrera said, describing the initiative as a “recycling” project.
“We cannot stop vital infrastructure projects as it will be detrimental to progress,” he continued, in what is a clear reference to the recent public outrage over the Central Link and Santa Luċija roads works.
As a side note, he also said that ODZ policies were undergoing significant reform.
The entire process will see the government construct a capping layer (after a comprehensive clean-up) which will be composed of materials designed to allow biodiversity to grow.
Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds Aaron Farrugia echoed the Minister’s sentiment by saying that the government was carrying out a project designed to give back land back to the public.
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