Already half an hour before the ribbon cutting the residents of via dei Bastioni they faced the garden, they crossed the gate which was finally open, after years of uncertainty and delays – “Here was the campsite, remember?” — walking at first uncertainly and then at a more confident pace on the paths restored to full safety, in the shade of the olive trees, looking around and climbing up to Viale Michelangelo, there where there was the reception of the most beautiful campsite in the world. And where a couple of children were playing football.
And for the inauguration of new public park, open from 9am to 10pm, illuminated and monitored, on the four steep hectares below Piazzale Michelangelo, dotted with 700 olive trees, with picnic areas, flowerbeds, a drinking fountain, a pitch for playing football for the little ones, with wooden goals, half the council has arrived . Next to the mayor Dario Nardellathe environmental councilor Andrea Giorgio, the councilors Sara Funaro, Cosimo Guccione And Maria Federica Giuliani, the new president of Quartiere 1, Mirko Ruffilli. But Cecilia Del Re also arrived in the square – who as a former councilor followed part of the long and complex path that began with the closure of the campsite in 2015 and who argued with the council over the loss of European funds given that the works were not be completed by December 2023, as many citizens recalled with a post on Facebook. The redevelopment project was presented in 2019, with the intention to call the area «Parco Mario Luzi», then came the pandemic, other adversities with the slowdown of the construction site and some occupations in the area, spending rose to half a million euros, but yesterday satisfaction prevailed. «We worked for a long time, it was not an easy job, which I have been following since the first years as mayor – underlines Mayor Dario Nardella – with the complete regeneration of this splendid place, now transformed into a garden available to everyone within the UNESCO area of Florence, next to the Iris garden. The center is increasingly livable, this space which was managed by a private individual is once again public and can be easily reached on foot from the historic centre. It is a final gift to the city and I am happy to hand it over to those who come after me.”
«After years of decay and abandonment, it had become a bush and there were also problems of public order, a green space is returned to the citizens and the neighborhood – states the environmental councilor Giorgio – we strongly wanted a space for everyone, not touristy, where we can relax, it will also be a kiosk for cultural activities. This park, in District 1 there are few green spaces and also for this reason today is a beautiful day, will be the first to have a precise cultural vocation, to be experienced every day: now there is the Street Levels gallery crew working on the walls of old houses creating works of contemporary street art. And soon the tender for the cultural space will open and the garden will also be a venue for the Estate Fiorentina.” And Sara Funaro adds: «I would like, given the proximity to San Miniato al Monte, for this park to have a call for peace, to be entitled Mario Luzi Peace Park».
