Primary school children from St Nicholas College inaugurated the new garden beside their school, which has been embellished for their enjoyment and that of the residents of the locality. In an activity organised by Ambjent Malta and the Attard Local Council, the Minister for the Environment Miriam Dalli visited the students to open Ġnien il-Palma together with them.
The enhancement of this garden was made possible thanks to the “Greening Urban Areas” initiative.
Minister Miriam Dalli said that families and children remain at the heart of this Government’s work, and that this project is yet another example of how investment in open spaces is giving back to the community. “As also shown by the recently announced Budget, where the environment once again has a very strong vote, the commitment of this Government towards a greener environment is clear. We are continuing to work on various open space projects, always intelligently, always for the people, always to ensure that the community has places where it can enjoy nature and the tranquillity it offers,” said Minister Dalli.
Ġnien il-Palma was chosen by the Attard Local Council to serve a community purpose and to offer an open space for local activities. Through this project, extensive improvements were made in this area. Among the main interventions, infrastructure for bicycles was installed, new furniture made from recyclable materials was added, and new children’s play equipment was provided. Meanwhile, the entire lighting system was replaced with LED lighting, and several interventions were carried out to make the place more accessible and safer. The landscape of the garden was also extensively renovated. Invasive plants were removed and replaced with indigenous plants and trees that enhance the aesthetics while increasing the ecological value of the garden.
“These interventions by Ambjent Malta strengthen the visual appeal of the garden and make it more accessible to the public. One of our main missions is to improve the urban environment and create ecological corridors that support local biodiversity,” said Josianne Muscat, Director of the Projects Department within Ambjent Malta.
The “Greening Urban Areas” initiative encourages Local Councils in Malta and Gozo to implement projects that introduce green infrastructure in urban spaces. The main objective is to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of communities, especially in areas where many people live and work and where commercial activity is carried out. Ambjent Malta invested €300,000 in the renovation of Ġnien il-Palma, while the Planning Authority (PA) contributed €50,000 through the Development Planning Fund (DPF).
