Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, together with Ħal Safi Mayor Johan Mula, inaugurated the restoration project of Sir Alexander Ball Garden in Ħal Safi, which is co-financed with European Funds and funds from the ECO Contribution within the Ministry for Tourism. GAL Xlokk Chairman Prof. Philip Von Brockdorff was also present.
The project, with a cost of around €216,000 – out of which €58,000 were European funds, includes various works, such as the restoration of the façade and the outside wall of the garden, the planting of native shrubs and citrus trees as well as the installation of information panels on the various trees and shrubs found in the garden, an irrigation system for watering the entire garden as well as a gazebo at the end of the garden.
Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi said this garden can now be enjoyed by everyone as it is now accessible to people with disabilities through new paving done at the garden entrance. Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi said that, “With European funds, we are improving the quality of life of the people as the locality of Ħal Safi will enjoy more open spaces.”
Mayor Johan Mula said that with this project, the local council is not only preserving this historical heritage by restoring the outside garden wall, which was in a very dangerous state, but also, through extensive landscaping in the interior of the garden, we have seen much better accessibility and the creation of recreational and educational space. Through this investment, the local council’s intention is that in addition to preserving and beautifying this historic garden, this garden should also serve both as a tourist attraction and as a place of relaxation for residents and people visiting this garden.
This project is co-funded by European funds through the fourth measure of the LEADER programme, administered by the Gal Xlokk Foundation, which is incentivising the regeneration of open spaces that are directly having a positive impact on the locality while improving the quality of life of the people.
