Veronesi Urged to Finalize Noreda Parking Project by June Deadline
After the Foro Boario and viale delle Palme, now the Noreda countryside, south of Caneve, between the Sarca and the ring road. It is the final destination of the large parking lot that the Municipality has intended to build since 1987, but the project has so far remained a dream: despite a state funding of 5 billion 880 million lire (later reduced by 15% due to delayed start of work). But now we are at the last minute: if the project is not submitted by June, the pile of money will go up in smoke.
To receive the billions, the municipality set aside the viale delle Palme option, deemed too laborious with the few months available. According to municipal technicians, it is unthinkable to rapidly prepare a complex project for an underground parking lot with 300 spaces, beneath the youth center and the nearby buildings of the pensioners’ circle and the Tourist Promotion Agency (Apt).
The alternative project and financial aspects
The alternative, therefore, is designing a large square in the green fields south of Caneve: a project capable of accommodating the same number of cars. According to the new Prg, various public services, including fire and police stations and the municipal workshop, should be relocated to that area.
The choice of this area facing the stadium in via Pomerio would also allow providing athletes with ample parking, simply by constructing a pedestrian bridge over the Sarca. The new choice is also motivated by significant financial considerations. The cost of an underground garage in viale delle Palme would easily exceed 10 billion lire: since the State provides no more than 5 billion through the Province, the Veronesi administration would need to allocate at least as much from the city’s budget.
For Noreda, on the other hand, the provincial funding will suffice for various infrastructures. There’s more. To promote tourism in the area around the youth center, namely Quisisana, Armanni Hospital, and the Casino, the wait will be long—at least from 5 to 7 years. Meanwhile, municipal officials point out, how will the accounts balance with the semi-deserted parking lot?
On Tuesday, the Veronesi council will approve the proposal by Councillor Dellanna to build the anticipated large parking lot south of Caneve. This is a commitment required by the Province by December 1: otherwise, the billions will be frozen.
Meanwhile, the Casa delle Libertà (Action Party, Forza Italia, and Lega Nord) has submitted an interrogation to the mayor regarding the chronic parking problem in Arco that has persisted for over 13 years, and on the need to create an underground parking lot in viale delle Palme. Due to delays and indecisions by various municipal administrations over the last years, the initial almost 6 billion lire have decreased to less than 5, with the prospect of remaining with nothing but empty promises due to ongoing procrastination by the administration.
“It should not be us reminding — the questioners write — but the entire series of Veronesi government projects are inevitably forced to pass through the construction of the parking lot in front of the Casino.” Not only future plans require it, but also the shortage of parking spaces nearby and the people’s habits, who no longer want to walk. “Otherwise, it will be the end of the much-touted ‘Arco-city garden’ — emphasizes the question — the certain death sentence for all the beautiful projects.”