Beautifying Xagħra Square

Anton Refalo These had deteriorated and were replaced by fresh work hewn out of local stone. The older versions of the balustrades once had lines etched into them but had been removed over the years. It was decided to have them in the new balustrades and now replicate the older versions in all their intricate beauty. The wall of the parvis was rid of its old cement and replaced with new plastering. When the work was completed, the restored statues were put back in their new splendid surroundings. The Ministry for Gozo, through its Eco-Gozo vote, paid for the material required for the restoration of the parvis.

As work progressed, a number of entrances leading to World War II shelters were discovered. These entrances were integrated into the design of the square, which will be open to the public in the future. This will be another tourist attraction and also serve as a more recent historical memorial.

All this work has been done to ameliorate the appearance of one of the loveliest and busiest squares we have on the island. Busiest not only because of the economic activity it generates on a daily basis but also because it is the square with the second largest number of activities in all of the Maltese Islands. The whole project, including the parvis, but excluding the contribution by the Xaghra Local Council, amounted to €826,820.

The Ministry for Gozo is engaged in several other projects involved in building up the assets of the island and focusing on its infrastructural needs. These include St Francis Square in Victoria and Għajnsielem Square. Attention is also being given to streets in Victoria and other localities such as Sannat and Nadur, long abandoned to the forces of nature and man. These will be discussed on another day.

The Ministry, once more, thanks the residents of Xagħra for their patience due to the time it took to accomplish this changeover in their hometown. We are happy to have finished the work in time for the celebration of the feast of Marija Bambina.