Video | City Gate demolition underway

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Infrastructure minister Austin Gatt visited the site this morning as the first of the columns of the shopping arcade were being brought down.

Gatt said that the demolition of the Arcades is now gaining momentum and will continue so in the coming days. He is also hopeful that the whole project will be terminated by end 2012.

“For health and safety measure we are minimising no expenses, making sure that everything is of European standard,” Gatt said. “The perimeter holding itself is of an international standard.”

The site has been closed off with new hoarding and a water cannon has been place to try and minimise as much as possible floating dust.

The old Opera House will be completed before the the Parliament. The Minister explained that its reservoir will be used to collect rain water coming from the new Parliament’s roof.

“The Parliament’s cooling and heating system will be generated from a geothermal pithole situated underneath the new open theatre.”

City Gate project manager Jean Marc Smith said that several plans and arrangements have been set up to try and keep trucks from passing through Valletta streets, entering or leaving the city only when it is not possible to pass through the Yellow Garage tunnel. Material from the demolition and excavation will carried away from Freedom Square and into the chute passing underneath City Gate.

Trucks carrying building material such as concrete will be washed immediately before leaving the site.

At the ditch level, accommodation for an estimated 160 workers will be located. It will include changing rooms, toilets and showers, canteen and first-aid. First-aid and toilet cubicles have also been set up on Freedom Square.

A temporary public staircase has been placed between the ditch and the bus terminus.

As part of this project, the Bank of Valletta offices and the police station in South Street will be demolished. Direct passage from South Street to Auberge de Castille will be closed from mid-March 2011, with pedestrian traffic rerouting through Zachary Street.

Smith also said that they are reserving the possibility of closing City Gate bridge, even though as much as possible they will be keeping it open.

“We are going to keep the bridge open where possible. Whilst demolishing one side of the bridge, the other side will be open to pedestrians. However, we are reserving the possibility of closing it for a day or two.”

Pope Pius V road will also be closed to the public from mid-March 2011, whilst demolition is planned to start by end-March of the same year.

The ditch below City Gate which currently holds around 140 parking spaces, will be ditched to create a garden. However Gatt explained that a new park and ride, bigger than the present one in Floriana, will be made available. Other parking spaces in Floriana will be provided. The grandstand at the Floriana Independence Arena will be converted into a car park.

“We have not only provided parking spaces to make up for the ones we have eliminated, but we have actually created more,” Gatt insisted.