Labour’s greening strategy: Underground parking and new open parks

The Labour Party vowed to increase urban public spaces by putting car parks underground if given a fresh mandate in the coming general election.

PL leader Robert Abela announced the party’s seven-year plan to increase green spaces in several localities.

The party aims to take existing parking spaces and replace them with green parks while moving the parking spaces underground.

“Cars are dominating spaces that people used to meet in, and children used to play around. Our government wants to give these spaces back to the people,” Abela said.

He added that the Labour Party would embark on several urban greening projects, including a scheme to buy up private properties in urban spaces to be used as open areas - a process called urban green reclamation.

Sustainability Minister and candidate Miriam Dalli listed five new parking projects to turn existing parking into green spaces.

Presentation on urban greening projects (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

An area between Bormla and Isla, currently used for parking, will turn into an open green space without the loss of car spaces. The site was initially slated to become a dormitory for the American University of Malta.

In the heart of San Ġwann, a Labour government will take on a similar project that would extend the existing Karin Grech garden and create a new, green square (pjazza).

Traffic will be redirected through an underground tunnel.

In Gozo, Rabat’s Pjazza San Franġisk will be given a facelift. The Labour Party pledged to turn the existing tarmac project into a family park with a football ground and underground parking.

In Ħamrun, ten tumoli in an industrial area will be turned into a garden with underground parking. For Birkirkara, the area along the valley will be turned into an open space with rainwater catchment.

Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia explained the urban greening projects that the Labour Party would focus on in the next legislature.

Among the areas in question is Floriana’s Triq Sant Anna. Farrugia said that the road would be turned into an open green space with a pedestrian link to Auberge de Castille and the rest of Valletta.

He added that the party would create new parks in Imqabba, Bormla, Birgu, a geological part in Għar Lapsi and Wied iż-Żurrieq, and Birżebbugia.