Helen Duxbury, London, UK
Proposal to kill Ħondoq’s natural haven
While recently holidaying in Malta, I spent a day with friends who live in Qala on the island of Gozo. I was taken by them to the beach at Ħondoq. I was deeply impressed and moved by the beauty of the bay and the surrounding scenery. I found it to be a wholly tranquil, unspoilt and truly lovely spot after the bustle on the mainland in Malta, as well as a rare haven for wild life.
It was 6 p.m. and many local people from Qala had come to the beach to swim and meet their friends and neighbours. There was a fantastic community spirit as these people gathered on their precious beach to enjoy their beautiful surroundings and each other’s company. After a refreshing swim, my friends were informed that this unique area is threatened with redevelopment for tourism and the local community are shattered by the plans that are being proposed.
As a visitor, I wish to add my protest at such plans taking effect. The island of Gozo is still unspoilt. If developers are allowed to get their way at Ħondoq, it will terminate the beauty, peace, lifeline for wild life and haven for the local community that Ħondoq and the island of Gozo offer generally.
I appeal for a reconsideration so that this area will be left untouched in its natural beauty. Far better for visitors to experience Ħondoq in its natural state than a resort of concrete hotels and apartments which would be an utter tragedy for this jewel of an island.
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Charles Sammut. (NY)
Jul 25th 2011, 20:08
Here we have this beautiful charming bay called Hondoq that offers the cleanest and most refreshing bathing spot on Gozo due to its proximity to the Comino Channel that it seems develepers are hell bent to destroy so that they can enrich themselves. But why does not the Minister for Gozo or the Minister for tourism declares it once or for all a landmark so that developers will cease trying to exploit it? Sure it can do with some tinkering and certainly doing away with that old desalination plant would be a plus.. But putting a Marina down there and changing the character of the place would be a sagrilege. I guess public opinion means very little over there. I again am still miffed how a developer is allowed to buy area considered ODZ with only one plan in mind.To take it away from all those love the place so that a few well to do can moor their yatch down there.
Mr James Tyrrell
Jul 25th 2011, 18:29
Agree with you 100% Helen. Gozo is a beautiful little island populated by really nice people and it would be hard to find any that didn’t like Hondoq. It’s a beautiful spot to meet up with friends in the evening and one of the best places on the island to swim. The water is crystal clear and when the sea is rough elsewhere it is usually calm in Hondoq Bay. The people of Qala voted overwhelmingly, 83% if I remember right against the development of a marina at Hondoq. They love the area, Gozitans in general love the area, the Maltese who come over at the weekends love the area and as you have now discovered tourists like us love the area. LEAVE HONDOQ ALONE!
Kleaven Maniscalco
Jul 25th 2011, 16:53
Please once and for all.
1. No beach will be touched at hondoq ir-Rummien...if anything the present beach will be made better
2. There will be new facilities by the general public with public administration
3. New & Safe nature paths will be created for everyone to enjoy safely.
4. A vast and serious environmental impact study was made on the negative impacts of the marina and it came out that the impact is insignificant.
5. All parking spaces present today will be retained but relocated
6. The desalination plant that is an eyesore no one mentions will be removed and the area given back to the public
7. The development will become a new hub in Gozo were people can congregate, having various forms of entertainment.
Obviously this is an investment and has to render money. There will be apartments, a hotel and other facilities but this will all be in a disused quarry that nowadays is nothing more than a dump site. This is no pristine are, just a dump site and a big eye sore
Ms C Galea
Jul 25th 2011, 19:55
If it is such a "DUMP" site. Why do thousands of people visit the area and it is literally jam packed all the time? Where you there yesterday?
1. The sandy area is not going to be touched according to the developers. but Hondoq is not just the sandy area where are the people that swim in the rocky area going to go?
2. What new facilities? a more modern toilet?
3. There is already beautiful nature paths at present?
4. What sort of impact assessment are you talking about, the one that has taken nine years and still has not been finalised due to serious problems they are facing?
5. The parking promised is for 90 cars UNDERGROUND. At peak, local people have told me there is over 300 cars. Where are the rest going to stay? And isn't the present car park going to be dug up into a yacht marina?
6. I agree with you the desalination plant should be given to the public. As far as i know that doesn't
belong to the developers it belongs to water services corporation.
7. Just like what happened at mgarr, it is so small that the gozitans simply have no space left for them to relax like they used to.
What hub are you talking about? More flats? Isn't there enough empty ones around the island?
Mr leo attard
Jul 25th 2011, 20:27
AND WHY ARENT YOU MENTIONING THE YACHT MARINA WHICH WILL CONSIST OF A MAN-MADE INLET THAT WILL SPLIT THE BEACH MAKING IT INACCESSIBLE TO GET TO THE ROCKY AREA WHERE ALL THE CARAVANS ARE SET UP! AND WHAT WILL BE THE ENTERTAINMENT --- VICTOR BAJADA AND PILLIDANO WILL SING ''EJJEW INHOBBU LIL XULXIN!!'' ? .... YACHT MARINA WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL MEAN THE END OF HONDOQ AS A SWIMMIN AREA AND IT WILL STOP BEING THE HUB OF THE PUBLIC THAT IT IS NOW! i JUST CAME FROM HONDOQ AND i HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE IT IS ALREADY PACKED!!! .... SO, PLEASE ONCE AND FOR ALL, STOP CONNING THE PEOPLE WITH PROMISES OF A ROSE GARDEN --- IT'LL ONLY BENEFIT THE DEVELOPERS!..... SO, AGAIN, WHY DIDNT YOU MENTION THE YACHT MARINA TO THE READERS?
Kleaven Maniscalco
Jul 25th 2011, 20:46
@ Mr. C. Galea
The Quarry is a dump site....just go and have a look...it is in a sorry state.
1. I can assure you that the sandy beach will not be touched....it will be extended. As regards to the current cement area, this is going to be retained and made better. This area will serve as part of the break water and can also be used by people as a bbq area.
2. facilities such as better toilets, changing rooms, camping areas, indoor camping facilities etc.
3. There is a nature path, it is going to be made safer at the developer's expense
4. the EIA has been finalised as has been the TIS
5. The 300 cars parking most locals talk about is either parking in the road or illegal parking in the garigue. There is proof that 90 cars is the max number of cars that can be parked legally today. The present "Car Park" will be the break water/BBQ area, the new car park will be relocated and underground and and thus a lesser eyesore. Over it will be reinstated land
6. the desalination plant will be pulled down and the area used for general public use
7. The gozitans will have more space than they have today to relax.
8. It will be an entertainment hub just like portomaso is an entertainment hub. Apartment and villas are necessary to make a project like this feasible
James McIntosh
Jul 26th 2011, 12:44
Are you by any chance one of those who intend to profit big from this venture, IF it is allowed to proceed.
I have seen some plans and this is no fine tuning project but the full blown restructuring of Hondoq and its environs and would make life intolerable for the residents of Qala during and after development
If you must be a mouthpiece for the developers at least declare your interest.
Kleaven Maniscalco
Jul 26th 2011, 17:36
@ James MacIntosh
I am an Architect and I am part of the design team for the Qala Project.....and before you accuse me of having a financial interest...I get paid a salary from the company designing the project and that employs me. So for me this is a project as important as any other project. I am commenting because I seriously think that we have the best concept that was put on show so far. It is true that we have to improve the project and frankly that is what we are doing and this is what I sincerely hope to achieve. The biggest flop for an architect is to do a project and than regret its existance. I can assure you that I love the Maltese islands as much as you do and whatever project I create, alone or with a team I keep a set of values and principles always in mind.
And for C. Galea that thinks she knows alot. I can assure her that only a few people know the site as much as I do. Only a few people know how the concept is developing like I do. And as an architect I have the pen in hand to do modifications as I deem just.
And for those ready to criticise mepa. I think mepa is playing an important role in the development of a sustainable project
P Sammut
Jul 29th 2011, 00:28
@ Kleaven Maniscalco
Ok you are going to improve the beach, etc.., but why the yacht marina? And also as pointed out before, what about those who like swimming next to the rocky area? Do not think the yacht marina will dirty the waters and also ruin the scenery for the swimmers?
Sorry we have been promised a lot of nice & beautiful places, but after a few years you have to pay to use them. In my opinion it should be improved, yes, but the rocky area should remain as it is, & no yacht marina.
P Sammut
Jul 29th 2011, 00:31
@ Kleaven Maniscalco
Yes agreed hondoq can improve but why touch the rocky area? And also why the yacht marina? Surely you are going to introduce more contamination in water due to yachts and also ruin scenery for everyone at hondoq?
Mr Peter Vella
Jul 25th 2011, 16:31
Is Hondoq the special preserve of the people of Qala? The area is ideal for development, Gozo is crying for a decent lido where people can hire and umbrella and a sunbed and have easy access to the sea and decent facilities such as a restaurant and toilets. Are we to keep everywhere frozen in time? Hondoq is dirty with cracked concrete, rusty dangerous ladders and a a small beach that is more rubble than sand. Ms Duxbury, as a Londoner would you have preferred Canary Wharf to remain as it was a derelict area, or as it is today? Development is not always a bad thing if done with sensitivity. Trying to defend the embarrassing "natural" state of Hondoq is.
Ms C Galea
Jul 25th 2011, 17:20
Obviously you have no idea what Hondoq means to the locals.
Yes Hondoq needs some cleaning up (like being turned into a national park) but the monstrous project that is being proposed which includes flats, villas, a hotel (which is just a ploy) and a yacht marina will definitely not just ruin Hondoq as a leisure area for the general public but will also ruin the tranquility of the village of Qala.
did you know that the proposed project is planning to have more people in it than in the village of Qala. Where is all the traffic generated from this area going to pass. The main roads in Qala are about 5 meters wide!!
What about the clarity of the sea water? Will not the yacht marina pollute it?
What about the hundreds of people that visit the area for bbqs where are they going to stay?
In case you don't know before the mgarr terminal was built and before the yacht marina was privatised, the majority of Gozitans used to visit the area to relax, swim and meet up with others but that has been all lost now because simply there is no space left.
IF HONDOQ IS TAKEN AS WELL WHAT IS GOING TO BE LEFT FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC?
Gozo can't afford to keep losing open spaces and beaches.
Mr leo attard
Jul 25th 2011, 20:50
Mr Vella, should Yellowstone Park be opened to development? should all the ODZ areas be developed? Your argument of not leaving areas 'frozen in time' would mean the end of all nature parks that were created for the very purpose of leaving certain areas ''frozen in time''! No one is saying that Hondoq doesn't need a facelift, but what you are asking for is a full-body transplant that will kill the patient!... you show tour ignorance by proposing things for Hondoq that already exist --- tit already has toilets, easy access to the beach, umbrellas, sunbeds, kayaks, boat-rides, diving, the ladders are new with wooden step that are easy on the feet or on your butt if you prefer to sit on them, a kiosk ---- When was the last time you were to Hondoq? From yoyur letter it sound s you were there in the last millenium!... And you propose to remedy the problem by turning it into a Gozitan 'canary wharf!' The anary Whar was already a developed dock area which fell into disuse after the decline of shipping and the area was re-developed... Hondoq is a natural site alreay used by locals and foreigners for relaxation and you want to develop it with massive construction which will cater for the very rich! give me a break!
Mr leo attard
Jul 25th 2011, 15:20
ms Duxbury, dont give up hope -- the people have already spoken on this issue. The people in egypt and other arab countries were also led to believe that toppling authoritarianism was a fool's errand -- but, we know better now. a persistent and unified majority will eventually prevail... I assume the photo was not taken in summer as i dont see the rope-barrier in the sea to keep out boats, otherwise your photo would be packed with vehicles and people! It's okay, the pro-developers have already been presented with photos and videos of a packed Hondoq. I am only reiterating here just in case one of those very, very few pro-developers intends to blog and twist the picture to create the false image of hondoq as being very little used (they have tried it before -- unsucessfully, of course and unwittlingly strengthening our cause with their lies.......Glad you enjoyed the beach! It truly is a gem, especially in the quiet early hours of morning!
Mr Peter Murray
Jul 25th 2011, 09:45
Your appeal will fall on deaf ears I'm afraid Madam as profit over prevention or probity will ultimately and sadly rule the day and that eventually a half -developed and,by and large, unoccupied and un-sold montrosity construction will become the beast that overcomes this beauty.
Jean Cardona
Jul 25th 2011, 13:42
Some words of wisdom from Peter Murray. As usual brightening up our day with positive comments on his homeland or the country that hosts him. I guess you hail from Murrayland, beautifully safe, with highly ethical journalists, full employment and thank heavens without your dreaded euro but a strong gold-backed sterling!
Mr Tony Gatt
Jul 25th 2011, 17:17
@ Jean Cardona
Well' I'm Maltese but don't live in Malta and I can see the destruction of "Beautiful Malta" as some people would have it. Tower Road is a prime example from the days when I was a boy in Malta.
The Maltese seem to have no eye for the environment- "development" is the watchword. Whether Mr, Murray is English or Irish makes no difference. In the U.K. and Ireland the environment is very strongly protected. A brown envelope full of cash to a friendly politician gets you nowhere.
Well, go ahead and carry on as you are. When it's gone, it's gone forever.
Mr Peter Murray
Jul 25th 2011, 20:04
To all concerned.Why is it that a person's nationality .colour, creed or religion is always thought be worthy of a necessary comment to a discussion or disagreement of opinion,rather like an argument here always which invariably culminates by bringing into doubt one's parentage or mother's intimate private parts.For what it is worth the letter M brings up the rear on my I.D. card number.Maybe a little conundrum too far to work out for you Dear Jean as yours obviously ends in A-and we all know what that signifies don't we!
Mr Tony Gatt
Jul 25th 2011, 08:52
The 'developers' have just about put paid to any of Malta's secluded beaches, so now it must be Gozo's turn.