"The complaints about the state of degradation and abandonment in which the Villa Floridiana in Vomero has been for some time have been a tired ritual for years that unfortunately has not produced any operational effect. Even in the past, faced with the justified protests of citizens, the only response was the need to close the public park indefinitely, due to the lack of funds to allocate to maintenance - points out Gennaro Capodanno, president of the Comitato Valori collinari, former president of the Vomero District, who has been on the front line for years to safeguard the historic villa -. Unfortunately, these are events that the people of Vomero have already experienced first-hand on several occasions, when the park was invaded by stray dogs and subsequently due to the presence of drug addicts and sexual maniacs who went as far as molesting children. All due to total neglect and the lack of adequate supervision. Just like when in 1999 the Belvedere was closed off with a fence to prevent stones being thrown onto the houses below, when instead it would have been enough to install closed-circuit television cameras with continuous monitoring or, alternatively, provide suitable surveillance."
“The Villa Floridiana pays the heavy price of being legally considered a historic garden annexed to the Duca di Martina museum – continues Capodanno -. From this it follows that the management is entrusted to the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the metropolitan area of Naples, whereas this property owned by the state since 1917 should have already passed, and not from today, to the municipal administration, separating it from the museum area. In the meantime, it would be enough to continue the implementation of an agreement, already in operation in the past, between the Superintendency and the Municipality of Naples on the basis of which the entire management of the villa would be the responsibility of the competent municipal offices “.
"Furthermore, Villa Floridiana represents, even if only on paper at the moment, a large cultural container - Capodanno states -. Just think of the wonderful Teatrino di Verzura, built by Niccolini in 1817, which during the summer months could be used for open-air shows, also considering the fact that, on the occasion of the 90 World Cup, the villa was equipped with a lighting system to allow it to be opened in the evening hours as well. Furthermore, inside the park, there are a series of buildings, currently occupied, it is not known for what reason, by some families, who enter the park even with their own cars, invading the avenues, which could, instead, be used as playrooms for children and rooms available to the elderly".
“As for security problems – adds Capodanno – to overcome the emergency, it would be enough to set up a police station inside the park or at least, as has already been done in the past in the Capodimonte woods, have a couple of officers on horseback or even on bicycles patrolling the avenues during opening hours”.
On the Floridiana events, Capodanno, who in the meantime has also announced a flash mob to raise awareness among citizens and institutions for the solution of the long-standing problems of the Villa Floridiana, launches a heartfelt appeal to Minister Bonisoli and the highest city authorities, the Prefect, the Police Chief, the President of the Regional Council and the Mayor of Naples, asking for the adoption, in a short time, of the measures of their respective competence for the solution of the problems that afflict the Vomerese villa.
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