Tuesday, December 6th First meeting on Historic Park Restoration Projects with the citizens at the Arduino Library
Moncalieri November 28, 2022 – It started Tuesday, December 6th In Moncalieri a cycle of 4 dates to make a comparison with the population on the green system of Moncalieri, derived from the idea developed with “Mon Vert Moncalieri Città del Verde”, a project chosen by the Compagnia di San Paolo in the context of the next generation we call.
The appointment is at 15 On the Arduino library (via Cavour31) For the first of 4 meetings, which will focus on the historic Royal Castle Park, a green lung definitively acquired as part of the municipal heritage in 2020, following a hunch from 2015 immediately placed itself at the center of the strategies of the great Moncalieri Città nel Verde project. A precious and wonderful place, which will also be redeemed with the 2 million PNRR given by the municipality. An accompanying sum of €80,000 from Mon Vert, attributed by the Compagnia di San Paolo tender to finance the comprehensive redesign and unilateral reinterpretation of the entire green system of the city.
The English expression “the elephant in the room” is a metaphor to refer to a huge problem that is there for all to see and to be ignored. Paraphrasing, we can certainly say that “The Elephant” was for many years the historical park, and today it is still the most important in one sense, but its potential has finally been recognized.
Historically walled and lived by the Savoys, it then passed into the hands of the state and remained unused: to continue to ignore it today is to condemn it to a slow and inexorable decline.
“Returning Castle Park to the public is one of the great strategic goals of our administration. A wonderful and unexplored place, among the symbols of the combination of green spaces and culture that make Moncalieri a unique city “- he comments on Moncalieri Mayor Paolo Montana – “The best way to continue the recovery process is to get people involved. Any valuable advice for writing the new history of the garden.”
“Acquisition of the asset for management was not simply the responsibility of saving the park and returning it to the castle, as an integral part of the complex included in the Savoy Residences system and recognized in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997” – he says Laura Pompeo, Culture Advisor W Royal residences – “But also a strong desire to provide citizens with a public park in the historic center, a vast green space leaning on the hill. I also remind you that our territory received UNESCO recognition of the MAB Program in 2016 as a Biosphere Reserve. Moreover, Art. 9 of the Constitution, recently integrated in relation to ecology, biodiversity and ecosystems, it recognizes the spirit and coexistence between culture and landscape that we have already revitalized in Moncalieri since 2015″.
The hill of Moncalieri, however beautiful and rich in vegetation, is almost entirely divided, and the other large public garden is La Maddalena, which is hardly accessible. The particularity of Castle Park therefore lies above all in being in the heart of the city, but the magic is that its opening will be a surprise and revelation to all those who live in Moncalieri. A discovery that will unite generations because no one has ever been able to access the park. Angelo Ferrero is a member of the Council for Productive Activities and Public Greendeclares: “The primary objective of the works to be carried out in the historic garden is to halt the deterioration of the vegetative component. This will be followed by maintenance operations and complementary interventions on the shrub and floral component, as well as the completion and re-operation of existing architectural works (such as the Torre del Roccolo and the Vignolante House).” The money received is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore this historic green to the central location it deserves.”
“A good policy knows how to understand and deal with the problems that concern the present, but above all it has a vision of how to anticipate or address the problems of the near future” – he says Otto Bugnano, General Manager of the Mattress Foundation that supports the city in this participatory process – “The path taken by Moncalieri marks an important change in mindset by putting the cultural approach at the service of the processes to protect, restore and care for the park as a public good.”
“Care” is the keyword referring to the graphics that convey the four appointments that go under the general title “Every green space is precious.” The image of Clotilde of Savoy, patron saint of Moncalieri in the pop version embodies the power to take care of one’s neighbor, as well as for the common good, thus representing the green order of the city. The fact that management has chosen to open a dialogue with the community demonstrates an interest in “taking care of how things are done”. Times require us to take collective responsibility, which must include local decision makers and citizens alike, for all that they stand for and for the commitment they want and can make, so that the park becomes a place of rediscovery of beauty and luxury and also attractive to tourists.