Salesi Hospital 2.0 timeless, over two years late in Ancona: «But now let’s speed up»

ANCONA «We are waiting for the elimination of asbestos in the buildings to be demolished to be completed, then they will be demolished to make room for the construction of the new structure». He is the regional councilor for Infrastructure Francesco Baldelli to take stock of the new Salesi, the next home of the children’s hospital which will be built next to the regional hospital of Torrette. Palazzo Raffaello prefers not to say too much about the timing, but the objective of completing the new structure by 2026 remains fixed, as confirmed by councilor Baldelli during the last open municipal council meeting dedicated to Health.

The deadline

That is, 4 years after the first deadline, set in February 2022. Covid, however, has nothing to do with the failure of the second ultimatum, set for 2024. Rather, a series of variants are (also) to blame. «We accepted the Hospital Company’s request to create an additional floor, the sixth, to house the gynecology and obstetrics departments» says Baldelli. The last obstacle was the morgue but with the new headquarters finished and operational «we will now proceed with the reclamation and demolition of the old one to make way for the construction of the new Salesi».

The first inauguration date was set for February 2022 and not 2020. Yet, to date, there is not even the first stone of the new Salesi. Now that there are less than 20 months left until the end of 2026. And the project is ambitious. «We have increased resources and beds, from the 119 planned in the past to the current 201, with the aim of creating an all-round pediatric hospital: 22 thousand m2, plus a further floor of approximately 6 thousand m2 which provides all services to mothers and newborns in a single structure independent of the regional hospital” says Baldelli. It’s a shame that the costs, in the meantime, have also increased: from 56 million at the beginning, today we are at 84 million euros.

«Work ahead»

«On Salesi we have accelerated by starting works in advance without waiting for the completion of others, such as for the ecological island or the new electrical substations that will power the hospital» reassures Baldelli. The hope is that it is enough. For real, since the city can’t wait any longer. A separate chapter is that of the new parks: 1300 parking spaces which will be created through “7 million euros already allocated”.

It will be a level park that should be built near the hospital helipad. «Interlocutions are underway with the Municipality of Ancona to reach the program agreement for the urban planning variant» concludes Baldelli. Only afterwards will it be possible to proceed with the expropriation of the land and the construction of the new car park, which should be of the “stepped” type like the one already seen near the Faculty of Medicine.

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Read the full article at
Adriatic Courier