Ahead to the past

I write in support of Philip Galea's appeal to restore St Anne's Square, Sliema to its original state. Building up the square was an obscenity in the first place.

The present construction - it cannot be called a building - is a monstrosity. What used to be an arbour in an otherwise over-built-up area is now a vulgar eyesore.

In Malta we seem to have an obsession about filling up every empty space. On the main promenades we have kiosks that obstruct the seaview and which take over most of their surrounding area. In what used to be a square we now have a huge block of flats.

Where in the original permit an area was supposed to be landscaped to blend in with the surroundings there is an ugly exposed car park with a couple of shacks at road level.

St Anne's Square is only one other case in point. I can well understand the concern being voiced by the Qui-Si-Sana residents regarding the car park project being proposed.

I appeal to Sliema residents and businesses alike to assert themselves so that we can have our "square" with its beautiful trees and the quaint little kiosk back. Besides restoring to the area the character it has lost, it would also give us a little space to breathe.