Opposition Grows Against Mincio River Urban Development Project

The urban development project concerning the Mincio River area in Salionze, a frazione of Valeggio, will be fiercely opposed by all legal means. Legambiente, Wwf, Archeoclub, minority city councilors, and residents of the frazione are on high alert, prepared to prevent at all costs the implementation of the so-called “tourism citadel” project, which is being described as urban devastation. The alternative proposal presented suggests transforming the currently degraded area into a Regional Park for public use.

Objectives and resistance to urban planning projects

The core idea reflects the intention to extend the Lombard Regional Park of Mincio and the Mantuan Provincial Park closer to the targeted zone, both located on the same riverbank. The obstructive action taken by the aforementioned groups has resulted in blocking the urban development project.

The area affected by the intervention covers approximately 20,000 cubic meters; it is a neglected zone occupied by disused buildings belonging to the Icomec company and currently owned by Immobiliare Mincio Verde. Many protestors fear that urbanization, planned for an already extensive area, could expand further and involve a significant segment of the Mincio river course down to Peschiera del Garda.

Environmental concerns and institutional involvement

“We must assess the environmental impact with due diligence,” comments Pietro Bedulli, a minority councilor of the Ulivo party and promoter of initiatives opposing the tourist center. “As evidenced by the 1997 master plan, minor interventions are sufficient for the area’s requalification.”

Ahead of upcoming city council meetings where the issue will be discussed, a petition campaign has been launched to cancel the project. However, as Bedulli emphasizes, “what matters are not just signatures but a serious evaluation of the reality of the situation.” Therefore, a request for sponsorship has been submitted by the Directorate-General for Environment of the European Commission to safeguard the future of the Mincio River.

A detailed documentation has also been submitted to various institutional offices to raise public awareness and urge intervention. The inviolability of this green area is a matter of principle.