Campaign For A Living Venice

The association intends to transform the northern islet into an urban lagoon park. The official signature is expected in a few days

A historic milestone has been reached for the island of Poveglia in the Venice lagoon: the State Property Agency has granted the use of the northern part to the association “Poveglia per tutti”, which has been fighting for 11 years to obtain this result. The association made the announcement during a meeting that took place on Saturday at the Scuola dei laneri in Venice, specifying that in a few days the agreement will be signed that will formalize the passage and give the go-ahead for the creation of an “urban lagoon park”.

The recognition by the State Property Agency, according to the group of citizens who are working on the transaction, represents “a collective achievement, the result of the determination, participation and cohesion of hundreds of citizens who, since 2014, have believed in the possibility of returning Poveglia to the community”. During the meeting, the board of directors illustrated what this six-year concession means in concrete terms: a “unique opportunity to finally start activities on the island, plan projects for protection, enhancement and public use, and step by step build the shared dream of an open, green and lively island”.

This moment comes at the end of a long process of dialogue with the State Property Agency in which the proposal for enhancement also had an important weight: the project under development involves the creation of “a beautiful urban park that will unite history, culture and environment, becoming a place of enjoyment accessible to all, including children”, within an area of naturalistic and landscape value. The association – which has 1,100 members, not only Venetians – now announces a phase of “commitment and collaboration” to realize the ideas put together so far.

A joint press conference is planned for the day of the signing of the agreement, with the presence of representatives of the association, state authorities and local institutions. It will be an opportunity to officially present the agreement and illustrate the next steps related to the creation of the park and future initiatives.

Source: Venezia Today