Cottonera sports complex to open within six weeks

The Lm2.2 million Cottonera sports complex is expected to be opened within six weeks, Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami said as he toured the site yesterday.

Dr Fenech Adami, accompanied by the parliamentary secretary for youth and sport, Jesmond Mugliett, and Education Minister Louis Galea, was taken on a tour to see the final phase of the work under way.

Mr Mugliett said the complex would be opening with a big bang by hosting two European competitions - karate and weightlifting - in April and May, before the eagerly anticipated Small Nations Games in June.

Mr Mugliett also explained to the prime minister that for the first time a sports complex had opted to use a system of alternative energy, which, apart from being environmentally friendly, also kept costs down.

The construction work was in the hands of Polidano Group, while Emmanuel Buttigieg was the main architect. The structural engineers were John Valentino and Frederick Ellul.

Steel Structures was responsible for the creation of Malta's largest geodesic dome of the complex, which has a span of 46.55 metres.

Dr Fenech Adami said one of the government's electoral promises was to build three sports regional centres - Cottonera had become a reality and work was already under way on the other two.

Dr Galea said the tender for the construction of the Karweja sports complex in the limits of Safi had been awarded and the foundation stone was expected to be laid next year.

He said studies were also under way to determine the site for the third regional sports complex in St Paul's Bay and details should soon be finalised.

During his visit, Dr Fenech Adami also met with the new board of the Malta Sports Council which will be coordinating the complex's management.