A “smarter” Varese, from the lake to Sacro Monte

“It is a privilege to show this announcement, which includes projects that can be realized thanks to the collaboration between the Region and the Municipality. We are working for Expo, and the ones who will visit our city and the ones who will climb the Sacro Monte, will find innovative services”. This is the comment by the mayor Attilio Fontana who, with the Assessor for the Tourism Sergio Ghiringhelli, took part today, in Sacro Monte, at the presentation of the Region-Municipality co-financed project “Varese Smart City: between the lake and the Sacro Monte” in the scope of the Districts’ announcement of the attraction. There were also the President of the Regional Council of Lombardy, Raffaele Cattaneo, the Assessor to the Commerce, the Tourism and the Lombardy Tertiary, Mauro Parolini, and the manager Danilo Maiocchi with them.

“It is a project characterized by a deep knowledge of the territory; it considers the different dimensions of the city of Varese in an inclusive, operative and concrete way”, added Raffaele Cattaneo. “It is a project, that values the different opportunities offered by technologies, to contribute to the consolidation of the local firms in the name of innovation and valorisation of the local economy.”

 The Assessor Ghiringhelli has explained in detail the “actions” of the announcement, for a total value of €1,140,000 (more precisely, €765,200 coming from the Municipality of Varese, €350,400 coming from the Lombardy Region, €25,400 from the public territorial partners, no-profit organizations and public and private subjects). A project that involves, besides the institutions, the association In Varese – Urban District of Commerce, the associations of category Ascom and Confesercenti, the Foundation Paolo VI, the Varese Province with the Agency of the Tourism and the Regional Park Campo Dei Fiori.

“There is a common thread from the centre of the city to the hamlet,” explains the Assessor Ghiringhelli showing the project. “One time, the centre accommodated wayfarers who then climbed up to the Sacro Monte. This is the core of our project. It is an integrated action on the centre of the city, the lake and the Sacro Monte to improve the attraction and the visibility of the tourist and commercial system, to encourage the trade among the three poles. It will also increase the infrastructures, the services and the evolved technological applications, in line with the highest standards of service known at an international level, and it will enhance a greater usability of the urban spaces. Commerce, religion, tourism: Varese can count on 1,200 businesses, with a flow of tourism of 117,000 people last year”.

But which are the actions to take to make Varese smarter? This is the (long) list, some actions are already known to the city, whereas others still need to be put into effect.

City centre

–   creation of a cutting-edge touristic information centre in Piazza Monte Grappa

–   actions taken by the association InVarese – Distretto Urbano del Commercio (InVarese – Urban District of Commerce) to develop the project Varese Smart City for the creation of touristic information signs

–   training interventions provided by Ascom-Confcommercio Varese for entrepreneurs

–   interventions on the street fittings in the area between Via Rossini – Via Donizetti

–   first stage of requalification interventions in Piazza Repubblica (welcoming and sporting events)

–   touristic and commercial entertainment sustaining and increasing events of great acclaim

–   Liberty Tour road signs

–   nutritional itinerary "A tavola con EXPO" ("Dining with EXPO") in patronage with EXPO2015, developed in partnership with ASL Varese

Lake

–   two-year period 2014-2015 international rowing events

–   two-year period 2014-2015 international riding events

–   creation of informative touristic signs to place in Lido Schiranna.

Sacro Monte

–   works in Via Beata Caterina Moriggi (works for around € 200,000)

–   control system for the vehicular flow and parking areas in Santa Maria del Monte (CCTV system in the first stage)

–   increase in the number of car parks in Via delle Pizzelle (for those who reach Sacro Monte by car)

–   establishment of access points, free-wifi connections in Prima Cappella and some areas of the hamlet

–   new historic and artistic informative signs with tags, QRcodes and NFC

–   multilingual apps about Villa Sacra and Sacro Monte

–   creation of a "virtual tour" of the Chapels, the Sanctuary, Baroffio Museum and Pogliaghi Museum, by Parco Regionale Campo dei Fiori.

–   informative signs about the city centre and paths around the Lake

–   partnership with information centre at Prima Cappella

–   organization and support of music and theatrical events