On the second of December 2006 there was a public meeting in the Palazzo Pancrazi to mark the start of a long-term project here in Barga. The meeting was billed as “incontro di lavoro” for an “emergenza ambientale” and was chaired by the then sottosegretario di Stato ai Beni e Attività Culturali, the Hon. Andrea Marcucci.
Present at the meeting were also Marco Bonini, then President of Communità Montana, Stefano Baccelli , President of the Provincia di Lucca and members of Regional Government. It was announced that there was a real danger of large-scale structural damage due to landslides in the area just below Barga Vecchia known as Fontanamaggio and Val di Lago. A plan was put forward involving shoring up the areas at risk and filling in the bottom of the valley to stop the sides from falling inwards
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Almost 4 years later and the first part of this ambitious project was opened to the public this afternoon by the President of the Comunità Montana, Nicola Boggi. The area known as Parco Buozzi now boasts fountains, walkways, lighting and even a small amphitheatre at the bottom of the park.
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In fact it was in that amphitheatre that most of the ceremony took place this afternoon with a concert by musicians from Opera Barga and Barga Jazz.
It is more than likely that the Sereni and now the Bonini administration will be remembered in the future for being involved in what will probably be the largest bio engineering project ever undertaken in this area. It would not be an over exaggeration to say that at the completion of this project, costing over €13 million, Barga as we know it, will never be the same again.
Click on the link below to hear the Mayor of Barga, Marco Bonini speaking (in Italiano) at the opening of the park.
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Dec 2006 – first press conference
October 2007-- work starts
November 2007 – second press conference
March 2008 – first project completed
November 2009 – update of progress
March 2010 -- latest images
June 2010 -- information boards erected