Rebuilding Opera House site (2)

Herbert Ganado was right after all. We're past the turn of the century and the Royal Opera House is still in a shambles. A series of plans for Valletta have been drawn up, the last by Renzo Piano. Piano came up with a number of key nodes which are important for breathing life into the different areas of the city. The City Gate project is one of these nodes. This also incorporates the Opera House site. Why am I saying all this? Because one essential element of these nodes is that the areas are, above all, to be used by people.

Let's immediately call a spade a spade. Housing Parliament instead of the old Opera House is definitely not in the spirit of Piano's recommendations. I strongly believe that this proposal is nonsensical and counter-productive to the city's renaissance.

Government stated that it is carrying out a feasibility study of the whole project.

This study, however, would not be reliable if it does not take the people element into consideration. Sixty-five MPs and their staff could be very well served by the new proposal. But what about the city? What about the people?

Admittedly, Parliament needs a new home. But the options exist. Various potential sites have been listed, such as Fort St Elmo and the Mediterranean Conference Centre. These could breathe new life into the lower end of Valletta.

Although I have my own views, I will not enter into the controversy of whether the old Opera House site should be a replica of Barry's designs, or whether it should include 21st century architecture.

One thing, I believe, is certain: we are putting the cart before the horse. First, we need to decide what to do with the site; we could decide not to build it, and rehabilitate it into a garden or a healthy, open space. If, on the other hand, we are to rebuild the site, we need to be creative. I believe we need to go through the following steps:

1. The Opera House site should not be taken as if it stands in a vacuum. We need to consider Valletta as a whole. What does Valletta stand for? What do we need it for? What are we prepared to pass on to future generations?

2. Valletta is a fortified city, with very well-defined boundaries, with an impressive array of defensive ramparts. Sometimes, we tend to think that way. We tend to think defensively, and we create boundaries to our imagination. We really need to think outside the box if we are to get the best out of the city.

It is useless to confine our creativity into shops, offices or a parliament building. Let's try using some lateral thinking for a start. Should giving a site to the people necessarily mean the conventional straitjacket ideas? Let's give the floor to everyone - from children to artisans, from business people to artists, from workers to senior citizens. Let's get our heads together and think.

Let's discuss all ideas, even if initially they do not make sense, or do not have any logical support to them. It is only after listing all options that we can then start making informed choices. If not, we risk running up a blind alley thinking we are driving on the autobahn.

The decision on the Opera House site is a serious one in that it can well and truly become permanent. Hasty, uninformed decisions do not do justice to a 60-year wait. While we're at it, let's do it right. All those involved in this decision can prove that things can be done right in this country.

I am definitely not for shelving the decision. However, I suggest a realistic and defined timeframe for people to come forward with their ideas, after which the final decision is taken. Valletta deserves the best. Perhaps there is still time to let free our imagination. We'd be better off this way than just shoving our ideas into nothingness.