Fire station in Sant'Antonino gets green light, but referendum looms

On Monday evening, Bellinzona's communal council approved the main points of the municipal proposal on the new fire brigade headquarters. The plan to build on the former LATI site in Sant'Antonino passed by 29 votes to 27. The 14-million-franc credit for purchasing the site and building was approved by 34 votes to 22. The 700,000-franc design credit was also approved, but it fell short of the absolute majority required for that specific item.

The question of a referendum against the project, considered highly likely, now remains open.

All groups agree that a new headquarters is needed. The current station no longer meets the needs of a brigade that must cover a large area, from the northern edge of Bellinzona to the Dirinella customs post in the Gambarogno. The disagreement concerns the location.

Two options and a dispute over location

For a long time, the former Birreria site in Carasso was the favoured option. In recent months, the solution of the disused LATI plant in Sant'Antonino gained ground, backed by the municipal executive, the majority of the oversight committee and the fire brigade command. Opposing this choice were the minority report from the oversight committee, signed by former mayor Brenno Martignoni Polti, the Movement for Socialism, and a group of firefighters who wrote anonymously to council members to flag weaknesses in the plan.

Among the opponents' arguments are the distance from the city centre and the location in an area known for traffic. Martignoni told SEIDISERA that response times downtown would worsen, where fire-sensitive buildings are also located. Also at stake is the planned synergy with civil protection, which would be housed in the same building.

Financially, the Sant'Antonino solution is what won over the majority of the legislature: total costs are estimated at 34 million francs, of which 14 million covers purchase and design and around 20 million covers construction, nearly ten million less than the Carasso alternative. Centre party councillor Pietro Ghisletta, also speaking to SEIDISERA, highlighted the site's additional development potential and residents' sensitivity to costs, already evident in a recent vote. Opponents, however, expect the figures to rise.

The announced referendum will now have to determine whether the municipality can really count on the savings highlighted by supporters, or whether further delays and possible appeals end up adding to the final bill.