A basketball hoop overlooking the Mediterranean. Children climbing beneath colourful playground structures. People exercising outdoors, while others sit together in the shade or challenge each other to a game of chess. At first glance, George Bonello DuPuis Gardens in Sliema, Malta, might seem like another attractive public park. But look closer, and a much more interesting story emerges. This is not simply a place where people can be active. It is an example of how a municipality can rethink the role of public space in a densely developed urban environment.
When the European Sports and Wellbeing Alliance for Municipalities (ESWAM) visited Sliema in October 2026, the gardens offered a compelling example of urban regeneration. Situated in the Qui-Si-Sana area, surrounded by residential buildings and overlooking the sea, the park brings together different generations, interests and activities. Children have space to explore, young people can play basketball, older residents can exercise outdoors, and families can spend time together without having to pay for admission. In a city where space is increasingly valuable, this combination is particularly relevant.
The story began long before the colourful Urban Jungle basketball court appeared. In December 2010, the George Bonello DuPuis Gardens opened following a major redevelopment of approximately 8,000 square metres of public space. The project created opportunities for recreation, play and outdoor exercise, while its design provided some protection from the strong coastal winds. It reflected a wider ambition to make urban environments more welcoming for families and residents. Yet creating a public park is only the beginning. Keeping it attractive, accessible and relevant requires continuous attention, investment and adaptation.
That is where Sliema Local Council comes into the picture. In 2020, the municipality joined forces with property developer MIDI plc to refurbish the playgrounds. MIDI committed €230,000 through a planning gain obligation linked to its development at nearby Tigné Point. The improvements included new playground equipment, safer surfaces, fencing, upgraded lighting and additional trees. In April 2024, MIDI reported a €160,000 refurbishment featuring four large play structures, an accessible merry-go-round and protected areas for younger children. These figures relate to successive project announcements and should not simply be added together.
The collaboration illustrates an important principle for urban development. Private investment does not have to benefit only private property. Through appropriate planning agreements, it can also contribute to the quality of the surrounding neighbourhood. For municipalities across Europe, where new housing and commercial developments are increasing pressure on existing public spaces, this approach deserves attention. The challenge is to ensure that urban growth also creates tangible benefits for the people who already live there.
Sliema Local Council continued to develop its ambitions. In 2023, it launched a public tender for the wider regeneration of Bonello DuPuis Gardens, with an estimated contract value of €920,400. The contract was awarded in August 2024. Meanwhile, the municipality outlined plans for more trees, additional benches, a picnic area, improved lighting and security measures. These may appear to be relatively small interventions, but they address something essential: people need more than equipment to enjoy public space. They need comfort, accessibility, safety and reasons to stay.
“The true value of public space is not measured in square metres, but in the opportunities it creates for people to move, play and connect.”
Then came another addition. On 22 December 2025, a new Urban Jungle mini basketball court was presented through a collaboration between Urban Jungle Malta and Sliema Local Council. With its distinctive visual identity, the court introduces an element of street culture into the public garden. It makes basketball visible, informal and approachable. There are no membership fees, scheduled training sessions or complicated booking systems. The invitation is simple: pick up a ball and play.
And that simplicity matters. Across Europe, municipalities invest significant resources in sports facilities, often concentrating on organised activities and traditional infrastructure. Yet many opportunities for physical activity begin outside formal sports settings. A basketball court in a neighbourhood park can attract young people who might never join a sports club. Outdoor fitness equipment can encourage movement during a daily walk. A playground can bring families together, while a chess table can turn a passing encounter into a conversation. The real potential lies in combining these experiences rather than treating them as separate facilities.
Of course, attractive infrastructure does not automatically create an active community. A basketball court needs maintenance, a playground needs to remain safe, and public spaces must feel welcoming to different groups. Municipalities should also ask who is using these facilities, who is missing, and whether the investments are genuinely improving participation and social interaction. Without that understanding, even a beautifully designed park risks becoming little more than an attractive photograph.
What makes Sliema interesting is therefore not the size of the park or the cost of its renovation. It is the continuing effort to give public space greater meaning through municipal leadership, private-sector collaboration and accessible opportunities for everyday activity. The gardens demonstrate how relatively compact urban spaces can accommodate several forms of movement and social interaction at once.
For ESWAM, the lesson extends far beyond Malta. As European cities become denser, the question is no longer simply how much space we can allocate to sport, but how intelligently we can use the space we already have. Perhaps the next generation of active cities will not be defined only by impressive stadiums and sports complexes, but by ordinary places that invite extraordinary levels of participation. In Sliema, that future can begin with something as simple as a basketball, a playground and a public garden overlooking the sea.
Tiina Pakk CSR & sponsorship manager @ Swedbank Estonia