Qortin recreation space and dog park now open for families in Gozo

The Qortin rehabilitation project in Gozo has been completed and inaugurated as an open recreation space for the enjoyment of families, the government has said.

This project has changed and rehabilitated a landfill, which the government said, had for many years been the “biggest environmental scourge” in Gozo due to odours and other problems related to such a site.

Railings, gates and fences have been installed to ensure that the paths are safe for public access. There is also a dedicated dog park that will be offering space for play and exercise.

Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia and Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri, together with the Chief Executive of WasteServ Richard Bilocca, were present for the inauguration in Xaghra.

“With this project we will be giving back a green space with 49,000sqm. Qortin was an area where 0.6 million tons of waste were dumped over many years and today it has returned to its natural state,” explained Minister Farrugia.

“Over 23,000 indigenous shrubs were planted with a total investment of €3.3 million. As part of the rehabilitation works, an underground reservoir was also built so that the water could be stored and then used for irrigation, he said.

Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri expressed his satisfaction that this site that had been a landfill for so many years, had now been rehabilitated and returned to the public.

The Minister for Gozo stressed that “this project is part of a series of environmental projects that this government has worked on so that in Gozo, the environment continues to be strengthened and preserved.”

Also present for the occasion was WasteServ Chief Executive Richard Bilocca who thanked the WasteServ staff for working on the project so that it could be opened to the public today.