Karin Grech Garden

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
TypeGarden
LocationSan Ġwann, Malta
Coordinates35°54′29.52″N 14°28′35.49″E
Opened20th century
StatusIntact, but total renovation is under plan

Location

Karin 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
View of Karin Grech Garden

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
Flowers laid at the Karin Grech Monument

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, were flowers are laid at the monument.[9]


Plaques and Monuments

Official opening plaque
Plaque of the official opening of the garden

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
Close up of the Karin Grech Monument with inscription

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
Plaque of the re-opening of Karin Grech Playing Field

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
Freedom monument

Another monument at the garden commemorates Freedom day of 1979. On the plaque is written:

1979

Is-Sena Tal-
Helsien

Architecture
Karin Grech Playing Field
San Gwann Bocci Club

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

References
  1. "Local Councils - San Ġwann - Gardens". Lc.gov.mt. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
  2. "Karen Grech remembered". Malta Today. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
  3. "San Gwann set for €1.1 million upgrade". Malta Today. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
  4. "Ġnien Karen Grech". Malta Covered. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
  5. 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.
  6. "Teenagers arrested after car chase face 35 charges, denied bail".
  7. "Karin Grech remembered in emotional memorial service". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2017-07-07.
  8. York, Barry (1987). Malta: a non-aligned democracy in the Mediterranean. University of Sydney. p. 38. ISBN 9781862529939.
  9. "Politicians commemorate 41st anniversary of Karin Grech's murder".
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