Amundsen Square is a sign of decay in Sassari. The open space in the Latte Dolce neighborhood, one of the largest in the city, is a hub of potholes, uneven sidewalks, depressions caused by sewer system failure, and nighttime chaos. "They haven't paved the road here for at least 30 years," says Antonio Vargiu, a resident, "and the conditions are dangerous." This is especially true for the elderly, who are constantly at risk of falling. "Unfortunately, this has happened on several occasions, and a woman recently hit her head ."
But all you have to do is look up to see other aspects of neglect, from crumbling terraces to cracks in the facades to the damp and mold that have corroded ceilings and walls. During a visit to the area, together with the Latte Dolce and Santa Maria di Pisa Neighborhood Committee, critical issues crop up like mushrooms. At the base of the stairs, cracks across the ground floor are evident. "It's the sewers," reports a resident. "Everything is sinking." Once outside the buildings, two enormous trees loom over the houses in the background. "No one is pruning them, and it's becoming dangerous," explains Antonello Soddu, another resident. "What are they waiting for to intervene, or they'll collapse on our heads?"
But the material state of things, in decline, is also coupled with what is happening on a human level.
"In the evenings and at night," Soddu continues, "it's constant chaos because of kids who make a mess and even talk back to you. We report it, but no one ever intervenes." There have also been car fires, which were destroyed, and other attempted fires that also damaged the vehicles. The marks are still on the asphalt, a reminder of the vandalism. "We would like," the residents conclude, "to see action taken." To stop the abandonment.
