Family park taking shape

The Sant’Antnin recycling plant is still not producing enough electricity for the government to fulfil its pledge and give Marsascala residents lower utility bills.

The pledge was made some years ago when the controversial plant was inaugurated as a means to compensate residents for the inconvenience caused by the facility.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the lower utility bills schemes would be announced in due course when the recycling facility produced the desired level of electricity from waste. He did not give a date.

Heat generated by the facility will soon be used to warm up the indoor pool of a nearby facility for the disabled run by Inspire.

Dr Gonzi was speaking after touring works at the family park next to the recycling facility. According to Resources Minister George Pullicino, works at the park are expected to finish by year’s end.

The park is about 50,000 square metres, the size of 21 football pitches. It will have 2,000 trees, an equestrian area and a traditional Maltese farm with a petting area. A 450-seat Greek theatre will offer a views of the whole park, which also includes a maze and a rock-climbing area.

Mr Pullicino said a water course was reconstructed around the park and would eventually feed the Magħluq water course further down.

The area where the park is situated was a rubbish dump in the 1970s and was the place where the carcasses of animals had been burnt during the foot and mouth disease crisis.

The site had been rendered safe and the problems created by the dump were in no way comparable to those at Magħtab, Mr Pullicino said.