The project was a joint effort by Project Green, Ambjent Malta and the Ħal Safi Local Council.
The Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise, Miriam Dalli, the Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights, Alicia Bugeja Said, Project Green’s Chief Executive Officer, Steve Ellul, Ħal Safi Mayor Johan Mula and representatives of the Local Council visited the new facility.
Covering roughly 1,000 square metres, the park embodies a commitment to sustainability. The new benches and picnic tables are made of sustainable materials, and the lighting and security cameras are powered by energy captured through solar panels. Thirty indigenous trees and forty shrubs have been planted and will be irrigated with rainwater stored in a new reservoir built by Project Green as part of the investment. New rubble walls and fencing have also been erected to ensure the safety of visitors.
Minister Dalli explained that the site, once abandoned and filled with illegally dumped waste, is now another open space for local residents. She emphasised the government’s aim to open more green areas and to regenerate and improve existing ones, ensuring that every project is of high quality, accessible and sustainable. In this case, she said, the authorities responded to the community’s wish for a dog park while creating a picnic spot that is expected to be popular with local families.
Parliamentary Secretary Bugeja Said noted that the project offers a 1,000-square-metre area where people can bring their dogs. After receiving positive feedback from the public about dog parks, the authorities decided that this facility would remain open both during the day and in the evening, and further spaces for dogs will follow this model.
Project Green CEO Steve Ellul highlighted the importance of water management and storage in parks, explaining that this approach helps maintain the trees and plants added to these open spaces and ensures they can be enjoyed for many years to come.
The dog park and picnic area in Ta’ Ġawhar are open every day, Monday through Sunday, around the clock. It is the eighth open space to be completed in the past six months. Earlier this year the ministry opened another new picnic zone in St Clement Park in Ħaż-Żabbar, regenerated the dog park at Ta’ Qali, launched the Family Park in Bengħajsa in Birżebbuġa, established the first Green Open Campus in Millbrae Grove in Mosta, upgraded the Petting Farm and Minden Grove at Ta’ Qali, completed the first phase of restoring Ġnien San Filippu in Floriana and regenerated Ġnien iż-Żgħażagħ in Gudja.
