Toscolano Approves Major Sports Complex Project on Gaino Hill

A “sports citadel” on the Toscolano hill. The news is not new, but the matter now records the approval of the preliminary project by the City Council.

An ambitious project, which plans to build infrastructures serving athletes on a municipal property of about 20,000 square meters, in the Gaino fraction.

Here is the comprehensive list of works: two football fields (one regulation size as a third-division pitch, the other with synthetic turf for five-a-side), locker rooms, services, and medical room, a children’s playground, at least two tennis courts and one bocce court, a gym, a “rectangle” for basketball-volleyball (also useful for the village fair), and a swimming pool (it is not yet decided whether covered or uncovered). And further: restaurant, bar, meeting room, caretaker’s accommodation.

Funding and Management Methods

In total, on the flat area opposite the village, a volume of six thousand cubic meters will be built. The estimated cost: 5 billion euros, which will not be covered by the municipal coffers.

The intention is to call a public tender that includes the development of the project, the construction of the facilities, and their management for five or six decades.

“We will make the land available to private investors” — said Mayor Paolo Elena — “who will build the sports center and manage it for 25-30 years. Afterwards, everything will become municipal property.”

Votes and Opinions on the Project

The preliminary project was approved with the abstention of the councilors of Proposta per Toscolano and Sergio Bertasio (Lombardia-Lombardia). The environmentalist Cristina Milani voted against.

“The idea of a sports center in Gaino seems good to us” — comments Milani — “but frankly, the project is exaggerated, and it will distort the village.”

“The PRG” — replied the mayor — “planned in that zone an artisanal settlement of 60,000 cubic meters. With the multi-purpose sports center, only 6,000 cubic meters will be realized.”

The worst thing would be to do nothing to prevent Gaino from becoming a dormitory. We must focus on the new initiative; it is the lesser price to pay to revitalize the locality.”

Considerations on Revenue and Protection

Councilor Cristina Milani also raises some doubts about the financial logic of the operation: “I do not know how many entrepreneurs are willing to invest five billion euros in a sports center in Gaino. What returns will they expect?”

The project, some argue, could attract the interest of real estate speculators, masters in change of land use, who are always interested in the valuable Garda territory.

For this reason, former mayor Silvano Boni asked that the Administration protect itself with a clear clause: if the sports center remains inactive for two years, the Municipality will acquire it, free of charge, and without waiting for the expiration of the terms.

Impact on the Territory and Playing Fields

Given its size, the facility will need to serve an audience beyond the borders of Toscolano Maderno.

The new football field, however, is especially awaited by local teams. The regulation-sized field in Gaino would complement the new “Locatelli” stadium on via Religione in Toscolano, used for only a few months, but with a “ground” already compromised by daily training of the many categories of local football teams.

Therefore, the Gaino field could enable a better distribution of training and matches for local teams.