Via Porro, the historic gym is reborn. And Certosa will be the scene of a Rai fiction

Via Porro, the historic gym is reborn. And Certosa will be the scene of a Rai fiction

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Genoa – In the external courtyard of the gymnasium, now a construction site full of sacks of debris, they wanted to save a Madonnina in a small votive shrine, which a worker surrounded with colored Christmas lights. “For heaven’s sake, leave it as it is,” recommends one of the remaining residents in the street as she passes the construction site and observes the works that have just started a couple of days ago. More than a religious symbol, that small statue has become the representation of a way that does not want to succumb, but on the contrary tries to be reborn, once again in the sign of hope. And the desire for redemption of via Porro, after the tragedy of Ponte Morandi, also passes through the reconstruction of its historic gym, one of the symbolic places of the tragedy.

End of construction in June 2021

In the Rfi space which for years has hosted the activities of the Dopolavoro Ferroviario, gymnastics, dance and boxing schools and which has seen generations of sportsmen grow up between Certosa and Sampierdarena, the works that will see the building abandoned by about 15 years finally refurbished (completion of works scheduled for June 2021) to host a new gym to be used for schools, sports clubs and some social activities in the neighborhood. It will also be the seat of the Committee on the border of the red zone, which is currently in a gazebo in front of the gym and has requested a small space to be used as a secretariat to continue the activity in the area. A little further on, a few meters from the entrance to the gym, the debris of the Parco del Ponte and the Clearing of Memory form the background which, as promised by the administration, must be eliminated by the end of the year.

The Rai inspection

And yesterday morning, in addition to the inspections by the technicians and the President of the Municipality for the reconstruction of the gym, a small delegation from the Genoa Liguria Film Commission also arrived. It is still a top secret project: a Rai fiction that will be shot in the Ligurian capital in the very first months of the new year and will see some scenes shot in the area of ​​via Porro. “Yes, it’s true. After “Survivors” will arrive this international production made in installments for Rai, but at the moment we cannot reveal more, it is still a secret project: the only thing we can say is that Liguria and Genoa in particular are confirmed as a land of fiction, the perfect set for television and film productions – confirmed the president of the Film Commission Cristina Bolla – And all this is bringing different results both in economic terms and in terms of visibility for the city and our region. We are also particularly pleased to learn that, among the locations, the area of ​​via Porro has also been chosen, which will certainly be relaunched ».

Work on the gymnasium, despite the approval by the junta almost exactly one year ago, was stalled: the new president of the central-west town hall Michele Colnaghi, which took place at the end of October after the approval of the no-confidence motion to Renato Falcidia, thus unlocked the process requested by the inhabitants of via Porro and the entire delegation, fond of that container of social goods: “Thanks to Rfi and Hitachi Sts Work has begun in this place that is so symbolic and important for this portion of the neighborhood, a place that must return to being a meeting point as in the past – explained Colnaghi – We thought of allocating it to schools and civic services of associations of the territory: it is a place that must be returned to the community ».

Provided changing rooms and solarium

Infiltrations, humidity, walls covered with mold: it will not be an easy job. “We are trying to redevelop, together with the Municipality and RFI, the area that was the subject of this tragedy – added the site manager Massimiliano Zullo, of the contractor Spinosa Costruzioni Generali – The gym, now on two floors, has large infiltrations from the attic, for the rising damp from the ground the walls will be cut and injections made, the systems will be redone and the interiors will be completely transformed. New changing rooms and a solarium are planned. For the outside, we are waiting for indications: the idea is to make these facades uniform with the others, but we need to evaluate the larger project and we are awaiting directives ».

The investment of RFI is 200 thousand euros, and the property will be granted on loan for 9 years to the Municipality (while 50,000 by Hitachi is a non-repayable loan). “Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, an infrastructure company of the FS Group, is pleased to contribute to the growth process of the city of Genoa and in particular of the Certosa area”, is the comment of Daniele Mari, Liguria territorial director of Rfi “

On the central wall, which housed the large training mirror, a faded poster by Yuri Chechi, an icon of gymnastics, still hangs. And from the windows appear rusty prizes and trophies, left there to tell a past that no longer exists, but now wants to return.

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