Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1432205
NEWS 7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 24 NOVEMBER 2021 JAMES DEBONO THE Marsaxlokk council wants to build a com- munity centre on 920sq.m of garden space in the locality's primary school that will impact a num- ber of trees. The planning application as proposed fore- sees the "transplanting" of 37 trees including olive trees, cypress trees, pomegranate trees, Judas trees and pecan nut trees. The community centre, will consist of three floors one of which will be receded. It will house the local council office, a social security office, a post office, a library and a public hall. A roof garden with benches and 14 trees is being proposed on top of the offices. The council has approved the project with three votes against two. PN councillor Janice Chetcuti who voted against the development in the school garden says she cannot even fathom the idea of build- ing over a school garden. "This is one of the few schools in Malta which is endowed with a beautiful garden and it sim- ply defies logic that the council takes a part of it to build it over... One would expect a local council to be vociferous in protecting this gar- den rather than being behind its destruction." Chetcuti also pointed out that the garden is regularly used by students to "relax, spend some time outside the class and even used therapeutically during allocated hours during which students actually sow different plants." Chetcuti believes that another location could have easily been found for the community cen- tre. Alternative locations which could have been considered are dilapidated buildings in the Roman Port Area where the locality's health centre was recently developed and the Ven- dome tower itself, which according to Chetcuti would have been ideal to host the local council. But locality mayor Steven Grech told Malta- Today that no existing buildings are available in the locality to house this project. He point- ed out that the current council office which is rented consists of only three rooms. "Some have suggested the Vendome tower as an alternative but this would pose problems with regards to accessibility," the mayor said. He also explained that the project provides the council with the opportunity of relocating different community facilities into one build- ing. The mayor also pointed out that no ODZ land is being taken up and the height of the new building is limited. He insisted the trees will be relocated to a roof garden, which will still be enjoyed by the public. Marsaxlokk local council wants community centre in school garden