New buildings and green spaces for the National Institute for Astrophysics. And the Italian Space Agency is soon to arrive. Everything is concentrated in the Selargius headquarters of the astronomical observatory, built on the ashes of the former Cuccuru Angius powder magazine. This morning , Mayor Gigi Concu, accompanied by a delegation from the Executive Committee and the City Council, and INAF Director Federica Govoni, will cut the ribbon.
" Today is a very important day for me, for Selargius, and for our entire community : we cut the ribbon and handed over the new buildings and green areas to the National Institute of Astrophysics, and attended a preview screening of the documentary "Einstein Telescope, listening to the universe beyond the stars." Mayor Concu's words during the inauguration.
"This is the final piece of a process that began in 2004, with the arrival of the Regional Development Plan (ROP) funds, continued in 2008 with the start of the redevelopment works and the construction of the first buildings granted to INAF, and advanced with the regional funding of approximately €7 million to complete the works. These twenty years have allowed us to transform a piece of land, transforming it from a military powder keg to a scientific hub of international importance, thanks to the presence of the National Institute of Astrophysics, to which we have today proudly handed over the new spaces. We are confident that they will continue to elevate the reputation of Selargius and all of Sardinia ." He continued: "I am truly proud because in these eighteen years of various roles in the municipal administration, I have followed the birth of the Science and Technology Campus step by step, as Councilor for Urban Planning, Deputy Mayor, and in my two terms as Mayor, and I can say with a touch of emotion that I have grown with this ambitious project. A project that, as always, rewards teamwork: that of the mayors who preceded me, the various technicians, our offices, the councilors, and the various institutions. And we hope it will be a good omen for the construction of the Einstein Telescope in Sardinia.
The Campus is expanding, and the Italian Space Agency is expected to arrive at the beginning of next year. It has chosen the Selargius Astronomical Observatory as the site for its new facility, the third in Italy, and in fact the only one in the country dedicated to the study of deep space.