Press Releases

The new lighting system of the gardens in Via Recanati, Via Tranfo, Via Mechelli and Via Folchi, in the San Basilio neighborhood, was inaugurated yesterday evening in the presence of the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi and the CEO of ACEA, Giuseppe Gola.

The event was also attended by the Prefect of Rome, Matteo Piantedosi, Rome Police Commissioner, Carmine Esposito, the Commander of the Carabinieri of the province of Rome, Francesco Gargaro, the Commander of the Guardia di Finanza of the province of Rome, Paolo Compagnone, Don Antonio Coluccia, founder of Opera Don Giustino, and Alberto Scarlatti, in charge of Public Lighting at Areti.

The event included a performance by the Band of the Local Police of the City of Rome, and a short musical performance by Maurizio Mattioli and Simonetta Benincasa.

These green areas, which represent important areas of aggregation for the community of the 4th Municipality of Rome, have had their lighting systems updated by Areti, the company part of the ACEA Group that manages Rome’s electricity network, while the green areas themselves have been renovated by the Gardens Services of the Department for the Environment, and cleared by Ama.

The lighting project included the installation of a total of 88 new lampposts, all boasting low energy consumption LED lights. Of these, 70 have been installed in the gardens in Via Tranfo, Via Mechelli and Via Folchi, while the remaining 18 were installed in the garden square in Via Recanati. ACEA also delivered the refurbishment project of the Fontana della Balena (Whale Fountain), illuminated by 6 projectors, and the children's maze, on the square. The refurbishment of the water system of fountain was carried out by Acea Ato2, the company part of the Acea Group that manages the integrated water service in the Capital.

Teams from the Gardens Services intervened in numerous different areas of the neighborhood. In the Giardino della Balena (Whale Garden), tree branches were cut to improve the visibility of the new lighting system, the hedges were trimmed, the long grass cleared, and the garden benches repaired. Work was also carried out in the green area between Via Sirolo and Via Loreto, where trees, hedges and grass were cut, and the area cleared.

“Our mission to give back safe areas of aggregation to the local communities continues. The renovation projects in the green areas of the San Basilio neighborhood, in the outskirts of Rome, are the result of great teamwork. Now, these spaces have a new look; all thanks to a significant energy-saving public lighting project, the renovation of fountains and drinking water fountains, and the maintenance work carried out in the green urban areas. I wish to thank all involved in the project, Acea and Acea Ato 2, Areti, Simu, our Garden Services and Ama, for their work clearing the areas. I thank the Prefect of Rome, Rome Police Commissioner and all law enforcement, because they are helping us make honest citizens – who want to live in nice and safe neighborhoods – feel the presence of the City’s local authorities at their side. Good presentation and light are the main deterrent against those who choose darkness for their illegal activities. This is why the refurbishment projects will continue, also thanks to the help form citizens and associations that wish to build new areas of aggregation suitable for families and children and open to business activities”, said the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi.

“These projects are steps of a recovery and refurbishment journey involving urban areas and green spaces in which lighting plays a central role in making them safer and more accessible to local residents. From a technical point of view, the project was carried out based on innovative and sustainable criteria, combining low energy consumption – thanks to the use of LED lights – with urban decor; a concept that is at the basis of the public lighting renovation projects that Acea has been carrying out across Rome’s metropolitan area, such as in Park Don Cadmo Biavati, in Centocelle, in Piazza Verdi, and in Piazza Mazzini, just to mention a few”, said the CEO of Acea, Giuseppe Gola.