What future for Mondello: the calls and ideas on the table for the next season

The Mondello beach is still at the center of attention from politics and administration. While awaiting the appeal to the TAR by the company Italo Belga, which had its historic concession revoked at the end of February for the beaches of Palermo, both the Municipality and the Region are trying to understand what scenarios will open up in the management of Mondello, especially to safeguard the upcoming beach season. The idea of proceeding with a quick approval of the Pudm to then move forward with the tenders has been set aside; the Department of Territory will direct the process, considering small concessions with a duration of 90 days. However, if the Municipality is effectively cut off until the approval of the maritime domain plan, the municipal councilors of the urban planning commission are preparing to request to be heard on some of the issues included in the plan, to ensure that they are still applied in the provisional concessions.

The uncertainty of the appeal from Italo Belga weighs heavily on Mondello and the upcoming season: the management of the beaches for next summer depends on what the judges will decide. A confirmation of the revocation would indeed leave the field open for other economic operators ready to participate in the Region's provisional tenders. A suspension of the revocation, on the other hand, would leave the management of the beaches and services to Italo Belga until new developments arise, with the tenders at that point needing to be suspended.

The tenders are currently being defined by the Department of Territory led by Giusi Savarino. According to the direction taken in recent weeks, they will be temporary, lasting ninety days, and will take into account the provisions of the Pudm currently under approval in the municipal council. There will not be macro areas put out to tender, but 13 lots of one thousand square meters each, and each company will be able to win only a single lot.

Regarding these assignments, the councilors of the Municipality's Urban Planning Commission are preparing to request that some indications already written in the Pudm be central in the preparation of the tenders by the Region, not only concerning the division into lots but also regarding the assignment and management of certain services during the upcoming season. As the councilors of the second commission write in a note, the essential indications concern "the provision that one of the lots be specifically dedicated to accessibility for people with disabilities, ensuring accessibility and adequate services; the extension of the free beach up to a depth of 10 meters, compared to the current 5, to guarantee passage and public enjoyment of the sea; the assignment to the lot managers of the maintenance of the free beach, in order to ensure adequate standards of cleanliness and care of the shoreline."

In their statement, the councilors also mention the maintenance of the promenade sidewalk, which has so far been the responsibility of the company Italo Belga, and the importance of a shared solution between the Municipality, Region, and new concessionaires to "ensure continuity in the management of Mondello".