Sicily's historic public gardens face neglect and destruction

Sicily's centuries-old public gardens, legally protected as cultural heritage, are being systematically neglected or destroyed through ill-conceived 'restyling' projects. In 2023, Villa Jolanda in Mazara del Vallo was radically altered with a €350,000 invasive intervention lacking historical sensitivity and without Soprintendenza approval, with the contract classified under 'roads, highways, bridges, viaducts, railways, subways'. At Villa Ibla in Ragusa, the restoration contract was corrected at the last minute to the proper category. In Canicattì, a 1920s villa built through popular participation faced amputation to expand a neighboring stadium, halted only by a citizen petition. In Noto (2021), Italia Nostra had to point out that concrete paving was unsuitable for restoring the historic villa comunale. Resuttano received €1 million for a Parco delle Rimembranze project that includes an adventure park, parking, and outdoor theater, cutting about 30 trees. Valguarnera obtained €1 million in 2022 to raze its public garden. A mere €45,000 has been allocated to catalog 151 historic parks and gardens, though many more exist. Despite this, grassroots initiatives like in Pietraperzia, where citizens and local businesses raised €40,000 and volunteered to restore the 1932 Parco delle Rimembranze, offer hope.