The end square of New Boulevard will be transformed into “New Tirana” for the next 100 years.
During the presentation of the project, which will turn the end of the boulevard, along the Tirana River, into a pedestrian and entertainment space for all ages, the mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj said that the project will be realized with a grant of 11 million euros from the government of Qatar, for which it has been lobbied for some time.
Veliaj said that the aim is for the New Boulevard to turn into a destination, and not just a bridge that connects Tirana with Kamza.
“For the generation of our children, New Tirana will be the “New Boulevard”, it will be this master plan that has already begun to be realized, with all the developments that are taking place there, with permits that have been granted, such as the project for end square. It will be made possible with a very generous grant from the Government of Qatar, something we have been lobbying for years. I spend time in TV studios, where everyone says ‘it’s my taxes’, when in fact a large part of the schools are built with donations that we require. The begging of 11 million euros from Qatar makes it possible for us to say that we are not paying taxes, but we don’t want to be burdened with taxes either. This means that we also need financial statements, now transparent to the public. With an underground parking lot, we can produce a woven history of the Pyramid, which with its spaces supplies all the scholarships for children. Likewise, the “Skanderbeg” square with the parking lot below has paid its own investment, plus the maintenance contract. We can write the future of another 100 years today, so I want to turn this square into a destination. If we manage to turn it into a destination and not in transit to go to Kamza, but using water, using leisure and entertainment facilities and a calendar of events”, said Veliaj.
The mayor added that some of the institutions that will be moved to the New Boulevard area are the High Court, the administration of the Municipality of Tirana, the Museum of Modern Arts, the Fair Center, as well as a Concert Hall to provide more spaces for activities.
The Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Tirana, Frida Pashako, focused on the details of the project, stressing that it is not only an infrastructural project, but integrated with the greenery of the city and public spaces, giving the area a new identity.
“The New Boulevard starts from the “Unaza e Madhe” of Tirana, ends towards the river of Tirana and presents not only the main axis, but also 4 intermediate spaces which are public squares. It starts with this square, under which we have the parking lot, and will end with what we will illustrate today as the final square, River Square. So the city ends up in a relationship with nature, with the river”, said Pashako.
On the other hand, the architect of the project, Paolo Vimercati, described the change taking place in Tirana in the last decade as quite positive.
“I have been lucky to be a part of the positive change that has been happening in the city for more than a decade now. I am very happy to be collaborating on the development of this square, which is to be an essential part of the vision for the New Boulevard, to improve and design the city in the future,” said Vimercati.
