Ever since its formation 25 years ago, the Old Motors Club (Malta), otherwise known as the OMC, was constantly on the lookout for suitable and appropriate headquarters for its more than 300 members.
Elected committees of the OMC have, over the years, made it their top priority to search for, and subsequently acquire, premises to serve as a centre of operations since the right HQ would undoubtedly provide a more concrete identity and platform from which the club could move forward.
From the club’s foundation in 1989 right up to 2001, the committee and its members had to meet at a plethora of different places ranging from hotels and private gardens to offices. Occasionally, meetings were also held at the private residences of certain members due to the lack of a proper clubhouse.
During this period, a number of public and private buildings were identified as possible targets, however, either due to location, size, condition, cost or the prohibitive barbed wire of bureaucracy, nothing materialised in this direction.
The OMC struck gold in 2001 when an old Church property in Lija became available for rent. The building, which dated back more than 300 years, was in a rather poor state but this did not stop a good number of members from rolling up their sleeves to help in its restoration. Once the works were completed, the clubhouse was officially inaugurated and all was well for a good number of years.
Unfortunately, as time evolved, it soon became apparent that the premises were slowly becoming too small for the large number of members attending activities there. And since the premises were old and listed, it was not possible to carry out any extensive alterations to it. What’s more, the house was situated in the appropriately named Narrow Street, right in the heart of Lija’s old quarters. This made parking for residents and OMC members very tricky.
The committee therefore started to search for a more suitable clubhouse, one fit for an ever-expanding member base. It was not an easy task, but tenacity, commitment and hard work finally won the day. After lengthy negotiations, the local authorities, towards the end of 2012, passed over to the OMC an old military building in Mosta.
This building, known as the Linesmen Quarters or Polverista, was built in 1904 as part of the Victoria Lines, a series of fortifications running across 12 kilometres and constructed by the British Armed Forces in Malta between 1870 and 1899. The Lines were made up of four forts and a number of gun batteries, as well as an unbroken infantry line connecting them together, forming a single line of defence across the island from coast to coast.
The pace of restoration was often affected by the stringent supervision
The Linesmen Quarters served to store a whole range of explosives and were built at strategic positions in the vicinity of the major forts. By the First World War, this line of defence had become outdated and the Linesmen Quarters were abandoned.
One of a small number of such munitions magazines, the Mosta Linesmen Quarters provided backup to the eastern Victoria Lines. For a number of years, this building was rented out as private accommodation but when the last residents departed in the 1990s, it was left to rot and ruin.
Initially euphoric at this acquisition, it wasn’t long before the OMC came to terms with the magnitude of the task at hand. A good number of multi-talented members volunteered to clear up the building and carry out some repair jobs. Unfortunately, this group dwindled down after a while, not just because of other commitments but also because of the fact that some of the projects needed the paid and professional services of various full-time skilled individuals and companies.
Like a unique vintage or classic car undergoing a thorough nut and bolt restoration project, the Polverista – aptly sited in Hope Street – was slowly brought back to its original, pristine condition. A certain amount of environmental landscaping work was also carried out for good measure. The pace of restoration was often affected by the stringent supervision and detailed demands made on the planned and ongoing works by monitoring official bodies such as MEPA, Heritage Malta and the Lands Department, all of which carried out frequent and regular inspections.
The official inauguration of the OMC’s new Mosta clubhouse took place recently as part of a programme of events marking the 25th anniversary since the launch of the club.
A number of activities, including the club’s annual general meeting and a number of runs, have already been organised from these new headquarters.
At the official opening, it was only fitting that standing right beside Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sport, Chris Agius, was Dr Lino Gauci Borda, the man who was the OMC’s president for 18 years and who was instrumental in many of the milestones marking the existence of the club, including the acquisition of the Mosta Linesmen Quarters.
The OMC’s new President, retired Judge Michael Mallia, now has the task of consolidating and building on what has been achieved, while coming up with some ideas of his own, all in the interest of Malta’s largest old motors organisation.
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