The rehabilitation of the land-front ditch and the majestic decaying bastions that girdle the walled city of Vittoriosa, from Couvre Porte to Kalkara Creek, is a very laudable initiative that has the potential to elevate the quality of life of the Three Cities and Kalkara.
Open spaces where children and youths can devise their own physical games in healthy surroundings- Lino Bugeja
The open space created at the foot of the historic Post of Castille, after the demolition of the cumbersome oil depot, has not only exposed a previously unknown and interesting sally-port in this historic fort but also allows for a thematic landscaped garden with a playing area on one of the prominent spots in the projected uninterrupted walk-way planned from Ricasoli point to St Elmo.
The wide ditch previously known as Coronation Garden, where the people of Vittoriosa took refuge during the last war, constitutes an ideal venue for various functions, particularly physical recreation compatible with the aspirations of the Kunsill Malti Għall-Isport (Malta sports council).
It offers an excellent environment that goes beyond a pleasant garden “where one may appreciate the majestic bastions that surround Vittoriosa”. At the same time it is easily accessible from the adjoining cities as the Couvre Porte entrance is very near Cospicua and Senglea and will be so particularly when the Dock No one project has been completed.
Furthermore, it is also well sited to meet the physical and recreational demands of the many schools and colleges in the area. It could also be an extension of the beautiful Cospicua Sports Complex nearby.
The demand for recreational areas in recent years provides evidence of public awareness of the need for open spaces where children and youths, so prone to a sedentary life in front of computers and video games, can devise their own physical games in healthy surroundings, indulge in sports like tennis, five-a-side football or mini-basketball, or cycle on properly designed cycle-paths. The Vittoriosa Ditch has enough space for all these activities as well as an adventure playground and a boċċi pitch.
The more activities you have at all times, the more attention and supervision the area gets, thus preventing acts of vandalism and unruly behaviour. But all this presupposes the appointment of personnel professionally trained in the administration and management of recreational areas, which in many European countries entails a two-year university course. The Playing Field Association of Great Britain has along the years sponsored a series of one-week programmes for playing field administrators.
The specific aims of community recreation are:
• To enrich the quality of life in the community by providing pleasurable and constructive physical recreation activities for residents of all ages, backgrounds and socio-economic classes.
• To contribute directly to physical and emotional growth through a varied range of activities that, besides those which are sports-oriented, would also include drama, rock concerts and music festivals. Planning a garden with no potential or space for physical recreation would render this beautiful spot almost useless.
• To improve the physical environment and to make the Three Cities’ community a more attractive place to live in. In the case of the Vittoriosa Ditch, the ample reservoirs make possible turfed football pitches of various sizes.
• To prevent or minimise anti-social or destructive uses by providing appealing programmes under the supervision of professionally trained recreational park leaders. To have huge areas without supervision and guidance is unthinkable.
• To strengthen neighbourhood and community life by providing residents with the opportunity to walk their dogs along particular areas in a pleasant environment. I would also rename this pleasant spot “Vittoriosa Gardens”.
Other important values of physical recreational experience for children have been identified, including the fact that their improvised games are a microcosm of the world outside – they learn how to win or lose, to obey the rules, how to win friends and lose them, how to cooperate. This is the reason why social scientists say that children who miss these experiences are at a disadvantage in adjusting to social life later on.
I strongly believe that these criteria should apply in the planning and management of all playing areas, where physical activity should be paramount, away from swings and merry-go-rounds that only offer our obese children an extension of their sedentary home life.
It is my earnest hope that the vast Marsascala Sports Complex, in the last stages of completion, will offer the children and youths of this expanding town the opportunity of physical recreation under professionally trained leaders.