Watch: Young Activist Breaks Down Why Lush Msida Creek Garden Is The Way Forward
23-year-old Duane Grech will soon move to Msida and he’s already on a mission to change his new town’s direction.
After viewing the Kamra tal-Periti’s visionary proposal to create an afforested garden at Msida Creek in place of the current flyover plans, Duane has started a parliamentary petition urging MPs to seriously consider the project.
“When I saw the Chamber’s proposal, it immediately seemed much better than the current plans,” Duane told Lovin Malta.
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The young activist believes the Chamber’s proposal will result in more people visiting the centre of Msida as a final destination rather than a transit point. Unlike the current gardens at Msida Creek, the Chamber’s proposal envisages plenty of trees, which will provide shade and cool down the area during the hot summer months.
Msida Creek is a notorious traffic hotspot and many people have welcomed the flyover plans on the grounds that it will facilitate commuting.
However, Duane warned that going down this route will ultimately only aggravate traffic by incentivising people to travel by car.
“Many urbanists have realised that traffic increases when you increase space for it. The easier it is to drive a car, the more people will drive one. I think we need to stop creating new flyover projects, and instead focus on creating new bus lanes, bike lanes, and pedestrian areas.”
“If everyone has a car, there will be more and more traffic. The government is sending youths a message that they need to buy a car because all they provide is infrastructure for cars.”
You can find Duane’s petition here.
Do you agree with the Chamber of Architects’ proposal?
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