Upper Barrakka to be restored

The Upper Barrakka Garden, providing one of the best views of the aptly named Grand Harbour, and a site of total neglect because of the garden's terrible state, will soon close its doors to visitors for six months for a much needed overhaul and restoration.

According to the Valletta Rehabilitation Project, the upper level of the garden was to be closed to the public between next November 1 and April 30 for restoration and upgrading works.

However, the saluting battery will remain accessible to visitors. Entrance would be through the lower secondary door rather than from the main door of the garden, which would be used by the workers.

VRP coordinator Ray Bondin said the garden would be receiving a complete upgrade in a Lm174,000 project. All areas including the paving, greenery and lighting would be redone.

He said that, unfortunately, there was only one entrance to the upper part of the garden so the upper part had to be closed to the public while work was being carried out. Although this was very unfortunate, there was no alternative.

A Malta Tourism Authority spokesman said the Upper Barrakka Garden was one of the most important tourist attractions in Valletta. "With 64 per cent of visitors to Valletta visiting the Upper Barrakka, it is the second most visited site after St John's Co-Cathedral.

"The views it offers of Grand Harbour are unique and it is an experience sought after by most visitors. The MTA welcomes the long-awaited upgrading of the Upper Barrakka Garden.

"However, it expects that the works will be phased in a manner which allows part of the viewing verandah overlooking Grand Harbour to remain accessible while the work is being done."

The spokesman said appropriate fencing could be used to separate those parts of the garden where works were underway from other parts which remained accessible to the public.

"Moreover, every effort should be made for the works to be completed without undue delay," he said.

A pensioner who prefers to spend his afternoons at the Upper Barrakka rather than having a nap said when informed that the garden was soon to close for restoration that he would miss his daily visits to the garden. Going to the lower part or to a different garden just would not be the same, he said.

However, he appreciated that restoration of the garden was being undertaken so that "when my grandchildren are my age they will still have the Barrakka to come to".

He expressed fear that as usually happened in Malta, restoration which should last six months would last six years.

An Italian tourist who was enjoying the view of Grand Harbour yesterday afternoon said she would have been utterly disappointed had she wanted to come to the garden but found it closed for restoration.

But she said she would have understood that this was something which had to be done. She suggested that if the lower part was to remain open, the barbed wire which surrounded it should be replaced by railings as there was in the upper part. This would enable one to get a better view and take better pictures.

Johnny Zammit, 57, who runs the Upper Barrakka Kiosk, said the garden has always been his life. He said the restoration of the garden had been planned for years but nothing ever got done, except for a quick clean-up and some asphalting just before an activity or other.

Mr Zammit said it seemed that, finally, something was being done. He said he was approached by Dr Bondin who wanted restoration to start in September but after he explained to him that September and October were the best two seasons tourist wise, it was agreed that work would start in November.

Mr Zammit said he was pleased that the work was being done as it was badly needed - benches and bins needed to be changed and lighting had to be improved.

The project could, however, have perhaps been done in phases. He stressed the importance of keeping to target dates and also called for the reinstallation of the Valletta lift.

This, he said, would encourage tourists to cross over to the three cities or vice versa within 10 minutes, getting the lift up to the garden once arriving in Valletta.

The reinstallation of the lift, he argued, was essential for tourism in Valletta.

The restoration of the Upper Barrakka Garden is part of a VRP restoration project of gardens in Valletta.