Luigi Gazzoli dreamed of a park for the Santa Caterina neighborhood, a place to play sports and spend time together. He began working there in the 70s, he was manager of the football team, among the founders of the bruschetta festival, with the proceeds the first pitch was built, with the blessing of the then parish priest. This is why the park that returns to the neighborhood and the city bears his name, today and forever, he would have loved to see it so alive, full of kids, colours, children and people from the area. Gazzoli passed away too young but his memory remains, which is why the joy of returning the seven-a-side football field, a space for beach volleyball, games for children, a dog area and a small square for ceremonies. Many passed by here for the ribbon cutting, Bishop Rocco Pennacchio, who signed the agreement to hand over the use of the area, owned by the curia, to the municipality, speaks of a context for free time that restores spiritually and physically “and makes us available to brotherhood. By being together we overcome the logic of violence, here is an example of how much the public and private sectors can do together”.
Mayor Calcinaro speaks of a lively neighborhood that has been waiting for too long for the return of this space: “A neighborhood that always responds with record numbers. Many of us have worked on it, the Spazio Insieme association which will manage it, the Cura and the bishop who he immediately understood the value of this operation and granted us the surface rights for decades. Next year we will inaugurate other indoor spaces for the neighborhood associations, the social center, further places for socializing in things, today a circle is closed, I would also like to remember Candido Pierleoni who also followed this project and who is no longer there. The strong commitment of the municipal councilor Roberto Simoni, of the manager Paccapelo, of the councilor Luciani, of the designers and. of the companies that have committed themselves here”.
The prefect Edoardo D’Alascio underlines that regaining possession of the pizzas also means building security: “It is a civil revolution that allows us to defeat those who try to ruin our sociality, our being together in serenity”. Daniele Rocchi is the president of Spazio Insieme, he explains that the spaces and playing fields are available to the whole city, free of charge, you just need to book and you can also use the changing rooms.
Simone Gazzoli is Luigi’s son, and with his brothers he lost his father early: “This field has always carried his name but when it was abandoned for us it was like reopening a wound. The return of spaces like this make us happy, his name on the plaque is an honor for us.” Paolo Santarelli is the designer of the park, a place that preserves signs of memory, spread over 6 thousand square meters, the heart of the Santa Caterina neighborhood is here.
Angelica Malvatani
