Prime Minister Consults With 80 Children For White Rocks Project
Prime Minister Robert Abela, together with Minister for the Environment Miriam Dalli, officially launched the public consultation on the three national parks, inviting the public to share their ideas on the website parksinmalta.mt.
During an activity held at White Rocks, with 80 children from three different colleges, the Prime Minister described the day as the beginning of a remarkable project for families, through which White Rocks, among other sites, will be returned to the people.
He explained that the Government wanted the consultation to start with children and young people, who will be among those to benefit from these beautiful open spaces, and therefore their ideas on how to transform these locations into national parks are essential.
Dr Abela noted that Malta has more than two hundred open spaces. Thanks to a strong economy, the country is now in a position to act so that, even in cases where past obligations existed, the Government can return three sites for families to enjoy with their loved ones. He referred specifically to White Rocks, Manoel Island, and Fort Campbell- three places he has pledged to give back to the public.
Minister Miriam Dalli explained that through parksinmalta.mt, the public is being invited to share ideas about what they want to see in these spaces.
“This public consultation is part of the Government’s plan to transform White Rocks, together with Manoel Island and Fort Campbell, into national parks. We believe that to truly return them to the people, these parks must be designed according to people’s wishes, with the needs of our children at the forefront,” she said.
The first public consultation event took place at White Rocks, a 369,000-square-metre site that, until recently, had been earmarked for economic development. The Government will withdraw the public call for development at White Rocks so the site can instead be turned into a national park for everyone to enjoy.
Among the ideas submitted by the children this morning were proposals for sports facilities in the White Rocks National Park, including a basketball court and a skatepark, as well as areas for traditional games such as boċċi and passju. They suggested dedicated zones for autistic children and proper accessibility for persons with disabilities.
Other students highlighted the need for picnic facilities, spaces for pets, a focus on conserving natural flora and fauna, protection of indigenous insects and plants, an agricultural project for growing fresh vegetables, and cultural museums within the existing buildings.
Using an “idea wall”, students from the Santa Clara, Marija Reġina and San Nikola colleges became the first individuals to share their aspirations for the park. They were given the opportunity to learn more about the site and imagine what it could become, thanks to a series of activities organised by Project Green specifically for them as part of the consultation process.
The public is invited to take part in this first phase of the consultation by visiting parksinmalta.mt
Credit: Clodagh O’Neill via DOI
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