Valletta and the vision for Grand Harbour

The Valletta Alive Foundation welcomes the government's initiative to establish and subsequently implement a long-term strategy for Grand Harbour. The foundation agrees with the extension of the cruise passenger terminal by means of the construction of a quay off Lascaris Wharf.

With the new cruise liner quay, the role of Ta' Liesse and Victoria Gate as an entry point into Valletta will become more important. For this reason, the foundation proposes the regeneration of Ta' Liesse/Victoria Gate area as a project in its own right. This entails relocating incompatible uses, such as warehousing. Vacant properties should be brought back into use, possibly in leisure-related uses. Regeneration will give new life to this otherwise interesting and scenic area and it will enhance the experience of those walking from the waterfront into Valletta through Victoria Gate.

The shoreline between Customs House and the fishmarket offers exceptional views of Grand Harbour and of Fort St Angelo. It is often the venue for evening cultural activities during the summer. The potential for leisure and recreation is self-evident. Incompatible uses such as the bonded stores and the fishmarket should be located to harbour areas that are of a more industrial nature. The shoreline should be redeveloped into a wide promenade with seating and other facilities.

The Ta' Liesse and Victoria Gate area is characterised by façades which generally appear derelict. The same can be said of the street frontage between the MMA offices and Customs House, a frontage that is highly visible from one of the cruise ship berths. This is unfortunate and gives a bad impression to visitors as they walk along the streets to access Valletta. The government should lead by example and ensure that highly-visible government-owned properties are well maintained, even if they are on lease to third parties. Owners of private properties should be provided with financial incentives to rehabilitate the façades.

Regeneration cannot take place without effective transport links. The foundation commends the vertical connection to be implemented by the government as this will enable people to move with minimal effort from the Valletta shoreline to the city centre.

To complement this service, the foundation suggests a ferry service from the Dock No. 1 area in Cottonera to the Customs House as a further improvement.

The foundation agrees with the proposal to convert Sir Paul Boffa Hospital into a hotel. This would necessitate a complete revamping of Kalkara gardens, which adjoins the building.

While commending the government's vision for Grand Harbour, the foundation is concerned that some of the projects being proposed could divert attention away from what the real priorities are, at least as far as cultural heritage and tourism go. The rehabilitation and appropriate reuse of Fort St Elmo is long overdue.

The foundation suggests that Fort St Elmo becomes a complex of museums combined with catering outlets, specialised retail, a small hotel, a venue for open air concerts and limited leisure activities. An appropriate mix of uses will transform the fort into a major pole of attraction and a hub of activity and this will, in turn, be a catalyst for the regeneration of lower Valletta.

Access to the fort and to the Mediterranean Conference Centre can be improved by means of a multi-storey car park on the Evans site as well as better public transport links.

Another site whose redevelopment is overdue is the spot where the opera house used to stand. Redevelopment of the site as our national Parliament, as was proposed by the government some time back, would have several important benefits. Apart from providing much better facilities for our parliamentarians, it would release the Grandmaster's Palace for tourism use. The palace has the potential to become one of the most visited sites.

The foundation commends the government's vision of having Malta and Gozo as a tourism destination of excellence. Even if Malta and Gozo boast hundreds of sites well worth visiting, Valletta can and should take pride of place in Malta's drive to become a destination of excellence. Valletta is attractive not only because it is a historic fortified city with views over two harbours but also because of many interesting streets and piazzas and the numerous attractions.

As far as tourism attractiveness goes, Valletta is like a jigsaw puzzle that is almost complete except for a few missing pieces. The two most important pieces still missing are the rehabilitation of Fort St Elmo and the redevelopment of the opera house site.

Mr Zahra is chairman, Valletta Alive Foundation.