Activists promote Manoel Island's potential as a park at developers’ open day
NGOs gather signatures for petition to return the site to the public
Updated with Midi reaction below.
Activists who are calling for development of Manoel Island to be cancelled shared their ideas for the space at an open day organised by MIDI, the project’s developers, on Sunday.
Members of the coalition, led by Moviment Graffitti and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar set up a stand outside Fort Manoel to promote the campaign ‘Manoel Island: Post Għalina (A Place for Us)’.
The campaign calls for the creation of a publicly accessible park in the popular area in Gzira. MIDI was given the go-ahead to develop the site back in June 2000, but since then, speculation over the project’s end date has continued to mount.
The activists shared information about the campaign and gathered signatures for a parliamentary petition, which has already been signed by around 3,800 people.
In a statement, Moviment Graffitti and FAA urged the public to attend the open day and “experience this green open space in the urban core.”
“We believe that people appreciate and care for that which they know, so we are encouraging the public to meet us on Manoel Island throughout the day and to explore with us the shared dream of turning Manoel Island into a public, urban heritage park — open and accessible to everyone, all year round,” the NGOs said.
They reiterated that this is the first and likely last opportunity in the 25 years since the signing of the agreement to “reshape the future of Manoel Island into a space that benefits everyone.”
“Manoel Island falls within the Valletta UNESCO World Heritage Site buffer zone, but currently, a substantial part of the 30-hectare island is destined to be developed into residential and commercial buildings,” the group said.
Last April, MIDI’s CEO told Times of Malta the project could be completed by 2033, while explaining the project has been mired by delays over the years mostly because of archaeological finds in the area.
MIDI denies claims
In a reaction to the coalition's claims, developer MIDI said that claims that a substantial part of Manoel Island is destined for development are incorrect and misleading.
"The reality is that 80% of the MIDI concession will be dedicated to public open spaces and heritage buildings while the new buildings will only occupy 8% with the remaining 12% earmarked for other open spaces and circulation," the company said.
It said the Fort Manoel Open Day attracted over 3,000 people who were able to enjoy the beauty of the restored Fort Manoel. MIDI also organised four guided tours in English and Maltese which were overwhelmingly attended by visitors.
People flocked to the MIDI open day at Fort Manoel on Sunday. (Photo: Midi).