The new urban beach at the La Palma canal, in the Anelli di Sant'Elia park, will be built, but the possibility of swimming remains uncertain . A former military pipeline runs through the area, and it's not yet clear whether the stretch of sea will be suitable for swimming. Luisa Giua Marassi , City Councilor for the Environment, confirmed the doubts: "The wooden platform will follow the promenade. But there's an old pipeline in the area, and we don't know if the beach will be suitable for swimming ."
The beach will be flanked by a permeable wooden platform, equipped with lounge chairs and umbrellas, which will accompany the seaside promenade. The issue of swimmability, however, remains to be clarified through the necessary assessments. This is one of the issues that emerged from the review of the project for the completion of the Anelli Park, along with a series of changes regarding safety, green spaces, and the area's new functions.
The new features were illustrated by Francesca Mulas Fiori (Avs) , president of the council's Environment commission, after an inspection of the park together with the Ecology commission and councilor Giua Marassi.
The tour began from the Lazzaretto square, along the existing promenade, to reach the areas that will be affected by the second and third phases of work. It was an opportunity to assess the status of the completed works and the critical issues that have emerged over the years.
"The park is beautiful: the green areas, shrubs, herbs, and planted trees are in excellent condition, and the seaside promenade is a delight," says Mulas Fiori . The park also features a shared orchard, with olive and almond trees that are growing and already providing shade. However, there are problems: "Over the years, the lighting system and the structures that were intended to house small recreational and catering businesses have been vandalized." This situation has led to one of the main changes introduced by the administration: the entire park will be fenced and guarded. The gates will remain open during the day, but , following the model already adopted for other large city parks. "This is necessary if we want to avoid acts of vandalism, which have come at a huge cost to the administration," emphasizes the president of the Environment Commission. The renovation of the kiosks already present in the park, currently in a state of disrepair and damaged by vandalism, is also planned. Their redevelopment will take place after the completion of the works: only then will the intended use of the structures be defined.
