Updated
Updated · NPR · Jul 19
Venice Citizens' Group Wins 6-Year Concession for Abandoned Island, Creating Public Green Space
Updated
Updated · NPR · Jul 19

Venice Citizens' Group Wins 6-Year Concession for Abandoned Island, Creating Public Green Space

3 articles · Updated · NPR · Jul 19

Summary

  • A Venice citizens' group secured a six-year concession to manage an abandoned island in the Venetian lagoon, marking a hard-won victory for public access.
  • The deal will turn the neglected site into rare green space for residents and visitors in a city with limited publicly accessible open land.
  • The outcome caps a prolonged local campaign and gives Venice an unusual chance to reclaim part of its lagoon for civic use rather than leave it derelict.

Insights

Citizen-led parks or private art islands: which is the real future for Venice's abandoned lagoon spaces?
With only a six-year lease, can a community truly reclaim a Venetian island from developers and decay?
How will Venice's new park balance public recreation with the haunted history of its 'Island of Ghosts'?