Lisa Gwen Baldacchino
Pedestrians only on Marsascala seafront this weekend
The Marsascala local council and the Marsascala Bars and Restaurants Association yesterday launched a pilot project for the pedestrianisation of Triq ix-Xatt (Marina Street) this weekend.
The initiative follows the deterioration of tourism in the area ever since the closure of the Jerma Palace Hotel in March last year, the locality's mayor, Mario Calleja, said yesterday.
It is hoped that the pedestrian area will attract not only Maltese visitors but also tourists to this authentic marina-village, the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mario de Marco, said at a press conference yesterday.
Should it prove to be successful, the project could be extended to cover all weekends during the summer months.
Mr Calleja said the project could complement SmartCity, the ICT/media township to be built in nearby Ricasoli.
The project is being undertaken in conjunction with the Iljieli Skalin festivities in Marsascala and with Marsascala Day, which is celebrated on September 7. It is yet another initiative following in fashion the pedestrianisation of parts of Buġibba and activities such as BOV Streets Alive, Gozo 1.2.3.4. and the upcoming Iljieli Melliħin.
Kicking off this evening, the activities being organised by the Marsascala local council and by the Marsascala Bars and Restaurants Association will be spread over three days.
For the occasion, Triq ix-Xatt will be embellished with plants and flowers while fjakkoli will add to the atmosphere. Bars and restaurants will extend their seating areas outdoors and they will also be providing entertainment.
Triq ix-Xatt will be closed to traffic between 6 p.m. and midnight. Due to parking limitations, the public is encouraged to use public transport where possible. A shuttle service which is being offered free of charge will however be available between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. The service is organised from near the Razzett tal-Ħbiberija and stops in the village core, near the church.
To aid the flow of traffic during the weekend, St Anne Street will be opened as a two-way system.
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Sandro Mallia
Sep 5th 2008, 22:29
Pedestrians only my foot! The idea of closing Marina street for traffic turning it into pedestrian only does not make any sense whatsoever, when in fact Marsascala promenade is blessed with a 4 metre wide pavement that can easily accommodate thousands of pedestrians. I am sure the idea behind all this is solely intended to favour the Bars and Restaurants along that street so that they can extend their shop area with chairs and tables. Great! but by doing so they created havoc elsewhere like in St. Anne’s Street. Surely the Council and the Business Association should know by now that what’s lacking in Marsascala is PARKING SPACE and by closing Marina street and making St Anne’s Street a two way traffic to the detriment of the residents the parking situation will be minimized further. To compliment all this, all we need is last years' Bombay market. Mr. Mayor two wrongs don't make a right!!
Victor Borg
Sep 5th 2008, 18:18
We have read in the local media that the Marsascala Local Council Mayor, and I quote, ".....that the SmartCity project would push forward....."
"Marsascala mayor Mario Calleja pointed out that the SmartCity project would push forward tourism in the locality and a number of other foreign investors were setting their eyes for potential future development".
Hope that he WILL continue to reason this way all the time. Three cheers for Mario!!! But don't forget that a PROMISE is a PROMISE. Yes, that's it!!!!
Victor Borg
Marsascala
Joseph Cachia
Sep 5th 2008, 16:17
Nice try Dr.Josie but unfortunately your downfall will be lack of parking and traffic management or rather no management at all. I know its the easiest thing on earth to criticize but to me its organised chaos. Alfred Grima is right all the pressure will be carried out by the residents in St. Anne street. I hate to reside in that street this weekend not knowing where I have parked the car and having to put up with the extra 2way traffic.
Albert Spiteri
Sep 5th 2008, 14:40
It's nice to be a bar or restaurant owner in Marsascala, especially if your bar or restaurant happens to be in of those ex-boathouses on Marina street. Such cooperation between the business community and the Local Council, elected by the permanent residents, (who are they?) is hard to come by.
I wonder how many of these owners actually live in Marsascala. I do not think that many Marsascala residents (again, and for the umpteenth time, who the heck are they?) will appreciate the hassle this pedestrianization will be causing them. The Local Council will definitely explain to us locals that the end, in this case, justifies the means!! The residents will (again) understand, appreciate and happily carry on (as usual)!
For the record, the number of bar or restaurant owners on Marina street hardly reach a fifty, but they do have clout!
Paul Smith
Sep 5th 2008, 13:24
As an ex-employee of the jerma Palace Hotel, the Government really scuppered Marsascala when it allowed Jerma to be sold and the Corinthia group hurt its own people with its dis-interest in the local economy whilst chasing new ventures overseas in totalitarian countries like Sudan.
Then another venture in Liverpool England just as the UK economy goes into Meltdown, some clever people making decisions huh?
Jerma Palace was a beacon of life in Marsascala that brought the local community and tourists from all over the world together. I'm sure the destruction of Jerma has ruined many a life of the long serving generous decent workers i had the pleasure to work with and get to know in my time in Malta, very very sad
M Schembri
Sep 5th 2008, 12:25
As a resident of M'Scala it is a pleasure to see such intitiatives take place after they have been tried and tested by other villages all over Malta. However I would like to point out that these activities require planning since the road network in this area is not suitable. There are only two roads connecting one side of the village to another and one will be closed whilst the other will be used as a two way, whereas it is merely suitable for one lane traffic as many might have experienced when Marina Street is closed for the village feast etc.
Hope that, if there is true intention to pedestrianise Marina Street, in the future there are also plans to tackle this isue.
Michael Borda
Sep 5th 2008, 11:40
Outcome for this weekend !!! extra cash for shop owners -- extra traffic and parking problems for residents .!!!!!
Alfred Grima
Sep 5th 2008, 11:40
Absolutely Marvelous!! What a brilliant idea!! Can Mayor Calleja, Dr. Josie Muscat and the President of the Shop Owners' Association Mr. Buttigieg tell us residents who live in St. Anne Street where to park our vehicles? It seems that our Council is open just for the Bars and Restaurants. A few days ago inspectors from the Lands Department managed to put the shops in order by getting rid of all the illegal fixtures, chairs and tables and now if this idea works out, will overturn the whole situation. Have these wise men took into account the excessive noise which traffic in St Anne as a two way street will have on us residents? Why should we, residents put ourselves out for these outlets when their main concern is to make more money and nothing else? Not only have they been blocking the pavement in Marina street now the Council is giving them the whole street. This Council is a farce.
louis camilleri
Sep 5th 2008, 11:13
I appreciate the efforts by the local council to help the catering business and boost tourism in our area, but it takes more than creating pedestrian areas to promote Marsascala as a tourist area. We have environmental problems beyond any other town in Malta. There is the recycling plant , soon we will have also the drainage treatment plant reallocated from Xhajra away from Smart City and closer to Zonqor point , we have the fish farms polluting our sea , we have the Delimara power station polluting our air and also the power station cooling system draining hot water in il Hofrit bay The roads leading to our town are in disastrous state, St Thomas bay is like a visit to a third world country, swimming facilities are non existent . How can we ever attract tourism when our town has been turned into the dumping place of our country?
A Cauchi
Sep 5th 2008, 09:42
The Marsascala Bars and Restaurants Association is very important in Marsascala. What about us, the local residents ? We cannot even go out with our kids on the prominade and use the cycle lane in the evenings after we finish work, as this used as a parking lane for the 'outsiders' who visit our locality and are of utmost importance to the Marsascala Bars and Restaurants Association.