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ViGiLO - Din l-Art Ħelwa
ISSUE 56 • NOVEMBER 2021
Restoration
Report Stanley Farrugia Randon
The Din l-Art Ħelwa Restoration and Maintenance Committee is composed of Maria Grazia Cassar, Josie Ellul Mercer and myself. However our efforts are useless without the help and advice of the rest of the committee. Without the hard work of our Treasurer Martin Scicluna, Secretary General Simone Mizzi and our Office Manager Rosanne Zerafa, Din l-Art Ħelwa would be unable to obtain the necessary funding for such projects.
W
hen I joined Din l-Art Ħelwa 30 years ago, my first involvement, besides reactivating the Youth Section, was to manage restoration projects. Since then the restoration of properties has become a very complicated matter. Before restoration of a site actually begins, a number of steps have to be followed. First of all, the association has to secure funding from a private entity or perhaps EU funding. In the latter case a load of paperwork has to be prepared. The sites managed by Din l-Art Ħelwa are mostly scheduled as Grade 1 properties, so their restoration requires a full development permit from the Planning Authority. This involves site visits with architects and contractors, condition reports, method statements, bills of quantities and site plans. Permits take months to be issued and often the Planning Authority and Superintendence of Cultural Heritage request more information. When a commencement notice for works is issued, talks are also held with health and safety officers as this is a legal prerequisite. These procedures are necessary but also very time consuming especially for us volunteers. Less than five years ago the Wignacourt Tower in St Paul’s Bay was restored by ERDF funds obtained by the Malta Tourism Authority. However the lime-based pointing started to weather off after two years and this summer the lower three metres of all four elevations had to be extensively repointed. The facade of the tower lost most of its pointing and more maintenance work had to be conducted including on the upper floor. Now that the restoration of the White Tower and battery in Mellieħa is complete, the restoration team started planning the installation of toilet facilities and furniture for the place to be used for short lets and accomodation. Thanks to the hard work of Rosanne Zerafa and Simone Mizzi, the restoration team obtained funds from the Post-Pandemic Support Scheme for Cultural Heritage issued by the Ministry for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, for two dormitories with beds and cupboards, sanitary facilities, a kitchenette, doors, seating facilities and tables. The tower will now be able to accomodate groups of people who can conduct educational activities.
White Tower
