I residenti of the I Gemelli condominium, adjacent to the land that once housed the former Convitto Cantoni, are collecting signatures and are up in arms. For years, they have been complaining about the state of total neglect in which the area finds itself. A damaging and unbearable situation for those who live nearby.
The petition, which has also reached the municipal council in Castellanza thanks to the intervention of the United Right, asks for “intervention to clean up the land adjacent to the condominium, as the current state is causing the presence of rats and mosquitoes.” Furthermore, the residents of I Gemelli denounce the presence of “gigantic brambles” that exceed the fence, of allergenic plants such as ragweed, and of weeds of all kinds, making it dangerous for children to even play in the courtyard. And last but not least, the abandonment of all types of waste within the unguarded area.
Indeed, just by looking through the openings that are all that remains of the external windows of the building located between via Toti and via Cantoni, one can realize that what the residents are complaining about is perhaps just the tip of the iceberg. Taking advantage of the fact that only the perimeter wall of the former boarding school remains, whose height decreases significantly at the openings, everything has been thrown into the ground: from paint cans to plastic containers, from garbage bags to bicycles, up to an entire bed and what seems to be the components of an old refrigerator upon closer inspection.
A situation that is not only obviously harmful to the environment but also represents a real danger for the numerous houses surrounding the area, so much so that the Fire Department has already been called twice to extinguish fires that came dangerously close to the condominium’s garages.
A heartfelt request, especially when considering that the demolition work on the structure began at the end of 2010 (thirteen years ago, in short), when the old boarding school was removed to make way – at least in intentions – for a series of new residential buildings. However, due to the changing economic conditions of the time, these constructions never saw the light of day, causing the land to remain abandoned until today.
“We are well aware of the situation – emphasized Mayor Mirella Cerini – but since it is an area owned by private individuals, we cannot intervene directly. Since 2016, we have done everything in our power to encourage the start of the redevelopment work, even going through the municipal council to change the implementation plan and propose to the owner the possibility of building the constructions one lot at a time, but in the end, nothing happened. For this area, as well as for other abandoned areas in the city, we are trying to find the best solutions that allow us to carry out the necessary interventions to return them to the people of Castellanza.”
