Friday, October 18, 2013

Civitavecchia and its beautiful place to run

Since late August 1991 I have been living in this town, Civitavecchia 60 km North from Rome. I have seen how its urban area has been refurbished at great expense and hugely cherished by people who live and work here.  From an urbanistic point of view, many urban corners and buildings in the mid 20th century in Italy were made in the brutalist style. Actually, those parts of  our cities were cold and unfriendly and some have already been demolished. For example, this week I found an old picture which I took in 1991 when I arrived in this town, after I had worked four years in Sicily (South Italy). It shows a place located in the middle of the town and close to the see, where railway operations took place. How could policians chose to do railway operations beetween the town and the coastline? That's hideously unfashionable!  In the 1930s decision makers didn't plan to preserve urban environment and its landmarks. Fortunately, that part of the town has been transformed from this ... 

... to this. 
The picture was taken on a cloudy day and it doesn't do it justice.


As you can see in the picture above, nowadays the railway tracks have disappeared and this urban environment has become a nice place to walk, running and cycling. Local government has made this part of the town more attractive, sustainable and pleasant. And it is a place where I sometimes do short runs and repeats next to the sea. This place gives me motivation. And my small experience in running has taught  me the importance of motivation. 
Are there enough pedestrian areas in your town?

3 comments:

ajh said...

That does look nice. My town is all country with back roads and lots of trees.

Fran said...

Nice!

Walkers and bikers in Holland are cherised so there are more than enough paths for them all over the country.

Black Knight said...

I am collecting many pictures I took in many different years. Civitavecchia changed and is changing. For instance: the silos, the promenade (only sidewalk now), the breakwater, the ancient market ecc.