Sport Malta’s recent application to turn a reservoir in Birkirkara into a football pitch has raised concerns over the practicality of this project due to the reservoir’s key role in preventing flooding in the Msida/Birkirkara valley regions.
The government agency had submitted plans to turn the huge basin into an 11-a-side football pitch, complete with underground facilities, parking and a cafeteria. The project will also see the uprooting of some of the trees that line the road running parallel to the site, with the promise of planting new ones. The Environment Resources Authority (ERA for short) has stated that the project could have adverse effects for the local environment and the local residents and drivers passing by - who might suffer serious floods as a result.
The valley connecting Birkirkara to Msida is well known for being extremely prone to floods in the rainy season, causing thousands of euros worth of damages to local residents and disrupting the flow of traffic for miles around.
Apart from being a key part of the local infrastructure, the reservoir is also one of the last green areas in Msida and its destruction would further turn the already heavily built-up area into a greyer concrete jungle.