Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1472871
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 JULY 2022 12 COMMERCIAL NEPTUNES Waterpolo Club will as of this October start to heat their outdoor pool using a new electric heating pump which will save the club thousands of euros and significantly reduce its carbon footprint. This investment of €450,000 is being made possible after the Plan- ning Authority, through its Development Planning Fund (DPF) agreed to finance the project. One of the pioneers to promote the sport of swimming on the Island, the club over the years has invested significantly in its infrastructure to ensure that it keeps offer- ing swimming athletes of all ages, the op- portunity to improve their potential in the sport and keep a healthy lifestyle. Heating and operating the pool between October and May has been a financial challenge for the club. The club's manage- ment explored new technologies to find a solution which could be beneficial both financially and environmentally. In truth, with the installation of the new pumping system not only will there be a substantial reduction in the localised emissions of the existing gas boiler but the savings in CO2 will be equivalent to planting 15,000 trees each year. The funding application was submitted co-jointly with the Eastern Re- gional Council. The Minister of Public Works and Plan- ning Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi explained how these funds provided by the Planning Authority will contribute in reaching three main objectives. First to use the budget generated from planning procedures into projects in various communities and sec- ondly, to encourage the general public to make use of sports facilities at the centre of our localities. The third goal is for our country to become more energy efficient and make another step forward towards a carbon-neutral economy by further reduc- ing carbon emissions into the air. Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi went on to say that he looks forward "to similar projects that contribute to the general well-being of our communities but above all, that sup- port our environment and Malta's com- mitment Malta's efforts and commitment in the mitigation and adaption to climate change."Perit Vincent Cassar, Chairper- son of the DPF Committee said "The PA is proud to be associated with this project because it is a direct investment in the dis- cipline of sports and increases the number of swimming facilities during the winter months. More importantly, this invest- ment is transforming the way we do sports and puts environmental impact at the forefront of the way we operate our facili- ties." Perit Cassar added "Conscious of the fact that sport is a catalyst to a healthier mind and body, the Authority at the end of last year removed all development plan- ning application fees on proposed infra- structural sports projects. From our end, we want to promote the introduction of new sports facilities and the upgrading of existing ones." This is not the only project in the sports field that Authority has financed through the DPF. Over the past months, it also fi- nanced the new €2.2million Siren's state- of-the-art centre in St. Paul's Bay which is in its final stages of completion and a two-storey extension to the clubhouse of a tennis court in the locality of Swieqi. The extension will provide several sports organisations with much-needed office space and meeting rooms for training, seminars and lectures. Neptunes President Matthew Bonel- lo wholeheatedly thanked the Regional Council and the Planning Authority for the financial support towards upgrading the club's heating system. The new heat- ing system will significantly reduce the running costs allowing the club to invest further in it's atlethes as well as other parts of the club's infrastructure. The new heating system, apart from being more environmentally friendly, is also expected to be more reliable then the existing gas powered system, which tends to stop un- expectedly quite reqularly. The fund receives financing from a few different sources, with on-street parking fees being the most significant among them. The idea is that the community needs to be compensated for the shortfall of the car parking spaces that the project would require. Planning gains too make up a portion of the fund, whereby a de- veloper of a sizeable new development is asked to make a financial contribution for the inconvenience caused in the locality where their development occurs. All con- tributions made towards the DPF are kept within the locality where the development has been granted. Over the past 5 years, the DPF has financed over 170 projects to the equivalent of €17.5 million. PA funds new energy-efficient heating pool pump system at Neptunes Waterpolo Club