Friday, 27th November 2009 - 21:25CET
Balluta residents in rowdy meeting over proposed car park
Proposals for the building of an underground car park at Balluta Square ran into stiff opposition from residents this evening at a standing-room only public meeting held by St Julians Council in a nearby hotel.
The council is proposing to build a nine-storey cylindrical underground car park which would be served by a lift which would carry cars down to vacant slots.
Council architect Stephen Farrugia explained that the car park would be confined to the top part of the square and the historic part would not be touched. His presentation was repeatedly interrupted and often drowned out by uncharacteristically rowdy residents who expressed disapproval of practically every aspect of the project.
During reactions from the floor, residents argued that building a car park would only serve to draw more cars and harmful pollution to the area. George Debono said this was an outdated approach, when the trend now was to discourage cars from the core of urban areas.
The residents questioned the need for the car park when a public transport reform was underway, saying it was evident that this was meant for the convenience of others, particularly people who went to Paceville. Many insisted that a more suitable location for a proper car park was the square in front of the former Tiguglio disco, which had served as a bus terminus.
One of the residents pointed out that the local plan for the area spoke about diverting traffic out of Sliema and St Julians to the Regional Road ring road, This proposed project would do the opposite.
It was also pointed out that with minor alterations, the road alongside the square could cater for more residents' parking if parking was perpendicular to the pavement.
NGO spokesman Astrid Vella expressed concern about excavations for this underground car park just metres away from Balluta Buildings, which had been scheduled by Mepa. She also asked how the council was proposing to build a car park in this urban area - with the resultant increase in vehicle emissions - when Mepa itself was encouraging the relocation of petrol stations away from urban areas for the same reason.
Dr Austin Sammut and other residents also criticised the council for not having held proper consultation with the residents when the idea was first conceived, rather than after much money had been spent on the drawing up of plans.
They also insisted that the mayor and his council needed to live up to their promise to drop the project, once the residents were against it.
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Comments
@ Mallia
@"""""""""""So according to you, our roads are perfect right ? Just unbelivable how people like you can say such a thing !"""""""""""
Did I ever say that ??? NO ! ..........Of course I didn't.
What I said - and say again - is that our roads are mostly lousy and we use this as an excuse for stupid accidents which result from bad driving.
And I repeat, road conditions in northern countries are often infinitely more treacherous than our lousy roads most of the year because of all the weather-induced hazards but one never sees silly accidents like crashing into walls or trees or turning a car over even when the roads are iced over.
Our style of road accident is the result of mad driving. Don't blame the roads. In any case such accidents are also common on our new EU style roads as occurred on the brand-new road from Attard to Zebbug where there was a horrific fatal accident in which some youngsters lost their life.
G
It should be very obvious to the council that this plan is not wanted and should be shelved immediately. Failing which, only their resignation from office would satisfy most of us ex/residents. We hope, that even if, against all common decency, the council will go ahead with the application, MEPA will stop it !! ( Yeah ! Like that will happen !!! )
If the council wants to reduce traffic, they need to redisign the Spinola Love-Sign intersection and allow cars travelling from Sliema to PV the right of way, and not block the main carriageway to allow cars from the oppsite direction to cross over. This crap traffic system invites cars coming from the North to drive around the upper part of St Julians and PV instead of keeping them steady on the regional road and away from the centre.
A Council elected from the Balluta residents and taking care of the Balluta interests first and foremost.
Save, Protect Balluta Square and Valley
Mark-Anthony Portelli
The thought of the excavation and dust, desolation and traffic that an underground car park would bring to this lovely old square is truly tragic. Please, St Julians council, reconsider, and listen to the voices of St Julian's, who you represent. Organised vandalism is still vandalism.
For your grandchildren's sake, please think again.; protect Balluta Square. Thank you.
Balluta was the place of my childhood years. The square is so beautiful that it is begging us to renovate it further, making it a plaza where one can relax. The fountain can be made more efficient and please, put more flowers and greenary. No loud music from the restaurants should be allowed as this place is really a place of relaxation. Please, do NOT spoil it.
on this tiny open space, parts of it has been taken up 'again'
and boarded by traders who specialise in offering their food under plastic tents....
Unless permits were granted,
could Hon Chris Said/local authorities take note and order the clearing up
as applied effectively in other areas please.....
To even conjecture, of turning one of Malta's beauty spot into a car park, shows that we have a significant portion of our population truly uncultivated.The battle between beauty and the beast continues, on many issues. The beast is winning but it now has an added enemy, the strong-willed Rightwing.
The vandals of the past have torn down Sliema's resplendent, seafront mansions and our cultural heritage is under consistent siege. Sliema's autochthonous people, have been overpowered by profiteers and questionable politicians, who can only convey, repugnant solutions.
Up with the spirit !
Stephen Farrugia / Sliema/Rightwing
But I am Maltese and will strongly oppose the ruination of Balluta.
The architect, who will obviously make a bit of money out of this project told the residents "the car park would be confined to the top part of the square and the historic part would not be touched."
Yeah, as though the top part of the square is not part of the whole. The idea is just a money spinner and goes contrary to modern urban environmental thinking.
I agree that residents should be given priority but not at the expense of others. Afterall they are creating the problem.
Another point. Because of the rowdy meeting and the resistance the car park won't come into force. Had it been in the south, rowdy or not, the authorities would have steam rolled over one and all and done it just the same.
The St.Julians Council should resign on thiis agenda, for many reasons such as this is a clear 100% destructive idea that would cause a lot of harm to this beautiful area.
Another reason is the lack of experience shown by the same local council to hold a meeting in a small place with no seats as if to discourge people from attending and voicing their opinions.
Or was it a trick?
I would ask the Ballutta residents to hold the mayor personally responsible for this as the issue is quite unreachable and would cause a lot of harm to the area and besides if it shall pass the time frame when completed.
We should stop importing these ideas to Malta as they simply won't work.
The truth unfortunately, is that the area was once a gem and a beautiful place to live. The government and various government agencies have done their utmost over the years to screw up the area and this car park will only serve as another nail in the coffin. I would say final nail in the coffin, but i am sure some genius somewhere has further plans in mind to spoil the area. The St. Julian's local council in the meantime, does deserve a big 'prosit' for sitting back and allowing (and contributing) the rape of this area to go ahead unabated as it has done for the past few years.
Good luck guys hope you manage to get your say, we didn't............
Unfortunately, the audience felt betrayed before this meeting was set up and that is the worst scenario for such a project. Letters should be distributed to every residence with feedback forms for any objections.
Sliema and St Julians residents can no longer stand by and see the destruction of their once envied towns, but more important is their health and the health of their children. Emission levels are excessive on the island and the suggested car parking gadget in a built-up area would be too slow, and the awaiting cars would only aggrevate the situation.
Mepa may have had the sense to grant permits to such hugh hotel/apartment buildings in exchange for some parking, or is that too clever?? The alternative is that the hundreds of empty spaces in the Galaxy and Le Meridien can be bought by the Council with the money that was planned for this parking gadget.
1) It offers a bigger area then the Balluta site
2) It is closer to Paceville and to Regional road hence less traffic around & diverted to Balluta
3) Much easier to develope this site that is doing excavation works without damaging other nearby buildings and monuments such as the beautiful Balluta Buildings and Fountain!!
Sliema and Balluta people please unite against this disgrateful project to be allowed to be done!!