Riva Plans Temporary Basketball Arena as Long-Term Sports Hall Solution

All united to bring basketball to Baltera. Temporarily, that is. Four or five years, the time needed to identify the area for the new district-wide sports hall, prepare the project and funding, and carry out the construction work.

Project and location of the new facility

An arena capable of hosting 2,500-3,000 people, costing several billion euros, which could be situated in the S. Giorgio area, right across from Arcese Trasporti on land owned by Arcese itself. In this regard, an initial contact has already taken place between the amministrazione rivana (Riva administration) and representatives of the provincial council, with encouraging openness from the Trentino side.

Of course, the path is long, and obviously other municipal administrations need to be involved, starting with Arco, where the new structure would be built if this hypothesis passes. However, the land for the new sports hall is also available within Riva’s territory, even though the new zoning plan does not include any new sports areas (requiring a variance to be introduced).

Possible solutions and alternative zones

From a services and infrastructure perspective, the same Rigotti area on route 45 bis, or alternatively near Palafiera, are always feasible options considering they are just a short distance from Riva’s future large ring road.

Meanwhile, enthusiasm for Garda Cartiere’s initiatives has also reached the city council, where, at the request of Margherita councilor Ivo Bombardelli, the assembly unanimously approved a document to be included in the budget revisions. The document requests allocation of necessary funds to adapt the southeast corner of Palafiera for a new provisional sports hall.

Temporary interventions and objectives

This, of course, should happen promptly, including a mayoral initiative at the Lido di Riva and/or the Palacongressi to “agree on the modalities for using the structure and operational details, with the goal of solving—in a provisional manner for at least five years—the problem of the lack of an adequate polyvalent sports facility”.

The document signed by the entire city council states that the areas of Riva del Carda, Arco, and surrounding zones “cannot continue to lack a sports hall capable of hosting high-profile events with 1,500/2,500 spectators. A new structure would meet the needs for at least 15-20 years, while the Baltera solution would transition from the current fragile state to a suitable temporary solution.”

The cost of renovating the Palagarda would still be in the order of tens of millions of euros, while adapting the new hall at Baltera would be more expensive but would resolve the issue in the short term, with substantial management savings.

Fair management and temporary use

According to the proposed changes in the budget, the issue of coexistence with fairs would only arise in January and could be easily resolved: “Just by rescheduling the home game, playing one match at home among the four scheduled for January. The other fairs could easily be accommodated in the new Palafiera” — the note continues — also because it would be difficult to reach dimensions such as to occupy the entire 40,000-square-meter area of Palafiera and hence also the “palazzetto” (small arena) building.