The Project For The Restoration Of The Marsa Tram Power Station Begins
The Minister for National Heritage, Owen Bonnici, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government, Alison Zerafa Civelli, announced a restoration project for the Marsa Tram Power Station.
The goal is that once the restoration is completed, the building will be used by the Marsa Local Council as a cultural and creative space.
Minister Owen Bonnici explained that with an investment of €1 million, the government will restore the Marsa Tram Power Station to serve as an architectural monument and a memorial to the industrial heritage of Marsa and our country.
“This space, currently lost, will be returned to the Marsa community and the Maltese and Gozitan people not only as a museum showcasing the history of trams in Malta but also to be used as an artistic and cultural centre.
This is another example of how through the power of the arts, new public spaces are created and given to the public for the enjoyment of everyone and the creative sector,” concluded Minister Bonnici.
Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli said that while the people of Marsa will have a restored historical site, this site will also be used for recreation to host cultural and artistic activities. She said that with the government’s investment, this site will come back to life.
“As a government, we will continue to support Local Councils so that they have such centres in their localities, benefiting not only the respective community but also the entire population,” concluded Parliamentary Secretary Zerafa Civelli.
The Mayor of the Marsa Local Council, Josef Azzopardi, said that thanks to the restoration, the tram building will be saved.
“This project is part of a series of restorations pushed forward by the Council in Marsa. In fact, the restoration of the Ċejlu Church, the facade of the butchery, the facade of the Marija Reġina Church, and the ongoing restoration of the Trinity Church facade have been completed. Once this building is restored, it will be handed over to the Council to be used for the benefit of the residents,” he said.
The work will include the reconstruction of the boiler house and the roof of the engine room according to the original plans, restoration of the walls and the window and door sills, and restoration of the wooden and iron apertures.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, this area in Marsa was chosen to serve as the Malta Tram Depot. A warehouse was built where the tram carriages were kept and necessary repairs were made, and next to it, the engine house and boiler room that generated the required electricity were built.
The tram service in Malta was inaugurated in 1905 with a number of tram cabins leaving from this Depot in Marsa and making their way to Valletta.
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