Karin Grech Garden (Maltese: Ġnien Karin Grech), officially Karin Grech Playing Field, is a public garden and playing field in San Ġwann, Malta.[1] The garden is named after Karin Grech, a letterbomb victim.
| Karen Grech Garden | |
|---|---|
| Karen Grech Playing Field | |
 View of the garden and playing field | |
 | |
| Type | Garden |
| Location | San Ġwann, Malta |
| Coordinates | 35°54′29.52″N 14°28′35.49″E / 35.9082000°N 14.4765250°E |
| Opened | 20th century |
| Status | Intact, but total renovation is under plan |
Location
editKarin Grech Garden is located at Vjal Ir-Rihan (Rihan Road), at the front of San Ġwann Parish Church dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes.[2][3][4]
History
edit
Before the creation of the garden the site consisted of natural fauna and flora, used as agricultural land from the times of the Romans until the middle of the 20th century, and since then rehabilitated as a public garden. Before, during and mainly after the Second World War several Maltese and British families flocked out of Valletta, the Three Cities of Cottonera and the surrounding suburbs and moved to San Gwann as a general consequence of the war; they moved out initially to avoid the bombardment targeting the Grand Harbour area.
With the growing population in San Ġwann, Maltese politicians and the community have pushed for a public garden to provide a recreational area. The garden was for many years the only urban public garden in San Ġwann, with other gardens having been created over time.[2][4] The garden was built in the memory of Karin Maria Grech in 1981.[5]
In March 2020, the playing field was damaged due to a car chase crash on site.[6]
Naming of the garden
edit
The garden was initially referred to simply as il-gnien (the garden) for some time, before being named the Karin Grech Playing Field (Ġnien Karin Grech).[4] The garden was named after Karin Maria Grech, a victim of a letter bomb attack. The main feature of the garden is the monument of Karin Grech that is a commemoration monument of her being a victim in a political crisis concerning her father Edwin Grech, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at the time of the 1977 doctors' strike[7][8]
A yearly event takes place in December, where flowers are laid at the monument.[9]
Plaques and Monuments
editOfficial opening plaque
edit
On the plaque commemorating the official opening is written:
Karin Grech Playing Field
B' Tifkira Ta' Karin Grech
F' Eghluq Is-Sena Mill-Mewt
Taghha B' Ittra Bomba
Il-Lum Inawgurata Mill-
Onor Ministru P. Holland
7-1-1979
The monument
edit
On the Karin Maria Grech Monument is written:
Karin Maria
Grech
Vitma Ta' L-Intolleranza
Permezz
T'Ittra Bomba
Nhar It-28 Ta' Dicembru 1977
Fl-Eta' Ta' 15 Il-Sena
Modernization of the playing field
edit
Karin Grech Playing field underwent some refurbishment to modernise the playing facilities. On the re-opening of the playing a plaque was uncovered saying:
Tifkira tal-Ftuh Ufficjali
Ta' Dan Il-Kumpless
Wara Attrezzament U Bini
B' Inizjattiva Ta'
L-Ewwel Kunsill Lokali
Illum 9 Ta' Marzu 1997
Mill-Onor Charles Mangion
Ministru Tal-Gustizzja U Kunsilli Lokali
Freedom Day Monument
edit
Another monument at the garden commemorates Freedom day of 1979. On the plaque is written:
1979
Is-Sena Tal-
Helsien
Architecture
edit
The present design of the garden is a modest design. The playing field was last refurbished by the San Ġwann Local Council who took care to adapt it with contextual modernisation.[4]
See also
edit- San Ġwann
- Tal-Mensija Cart Tracks - pre-historic cart ruts
- Ta' Ċieda Tower - Punic-Roman tower
- Ta' Xindi Farmhouse - Medieval farmhouse
- Castello Lanzun - Order of St. John
- Santa Margerita Chapel - Medieval Chapel
- Kolonna Eterna - Decorative garden monument
References
edit- ^ "Local Councils - San Ġwann - Gardens". Lc.gov.mt. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
- ^ a b "Karen Grech remembered". Malta Today. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
- ^ "San Gwann set for €1.1 million upgrade". Malta Today. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
- ^ a b c d "Ġnien Karen Grech". Malta Covered. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
- ^ Hoe, Susanna (2015). "From Floriana to Naxxar via Sliema". Malta: Women, History, Books and Places (PDF). Oxford: Women's History Press (a division of Holo Books). p. 385. ISBN 9780957215351. OCLC 931704918. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 July 2017.
- ^ "Teenagers arrested after car chase face 35 charges, denied bail".
- ^ "Karin Grech remembered in emotional memorial service". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
- ^ York, Barry (1987). Malta: a non-aligned democracy in the Mediterranean. University of Sydney. p. 38. ISBN 9781862529939.
- ^ "Politicians commemorate 41st anniversary of Karin Grech's murder".