Catania accelerates: the City Council approves the budget variation for 2026-2028

The City Council of Catania, chaired by Sebastiano Anastasi approved, with 18 votes in favor and one abstention, the variation to the budget forecast 2026-2028 presented by Finance Councillor Giuseppe Marletta, which integrates restricted resources of approximately 58 million euros intended for urban redevelopment projects, energy efficiency, and infrastructural development already in the execution phase and another dozen for services.

"The resolution concerns projects already underway, definitive or executive, funded with community funds that require accounting variations based on the allocations made," explained Councillor Marletta and Director Fabio Finocchiaro in the chamber. The resources come from European and regional programs (POC, PON Metro Plus, FESR Sicily) and include a three-year development plan with numerous construction sites and services that will be opened or started already in the current year, followed by others in the subsequent two years.

The allocation of resources covers five strategic macro-areas for the development of the city:

Industrial Zone (50 million euros) - Complete redevelopment of the road network of the production district with FSC funds 2021-2027, divided into 24.1 million for 2026, 11.3 million for 2027, and 9.6 million for 2028, to make the main manufacturing hub of Eastern Sicily competitive and functional.

Urban redevelopment and tourism (approximately 6.5 million) - Interventions on Via Crociferi, Piazza Carlo Alberto, Piazza Dante with Basilica San Nicolò l'Arena, Piazza Palestro and improvement of the traffic node Rotolo-Ognina, to enhance the historical-artistic heritage and improve the tourist accessibility of the historic center nominated as Italian Capital of Culture 2028.

Sports facilities and public green spaces (approximately 3.5 million) - Energy efficiency of PalaCatania, PalaNitta, swimming pool, and Via Zurria complex, green regeneration of the sports fields Velletri, Zia Lisa, Benito Paolone, and Salvatore Seminara, redevelopment of Via degli Ulivi and the area Don Minzoni-Fogazzaro, to provide modern and sustainable facilities for the community.

Schools and educational services (approximately 2.5 million) - Redevelopment of outdoor spaces of the Comprehensive Institutes Di Guardo-Quasimodo and Salvatore Quasimodo, creation of school roads, furnishings for new nurseries, to ensure safe, inclusive, and functional educational environments.

Sustainable mobility and environment (about 3 million) - Strengthening smart mobility, charging infrastructure for the electric fleet of public transport with photovoltaic systems, completion of the BRT network, interventions for waste separation in neighborhoods, circular economy hub at the former Fish Market for social start-ups.

The picture is completed by energy efficiency interventions in municipal buildings (Via Gallo, Via Ferrante Aporti, Campo Zia Lisa), technical assistance for the management of European programs, international cooperation projects such as the exchange of best practices with Mechelen (Belgium) on the theme "Water As The Source Of Urban Public Space" and the project "Catania Inside" on innovation, culture, and tourism.

The variation also includes the amounts allocated for technical incentives for staff engaged in design and project management, amounting to 1.4 million euros, as provided for by the Public Procurement Code. The approval of the plan allows for immediate initiation of operational procedures for the opening of construction sites as early as 2026, with a tight schedule that foresees the completion of most interventions by 2028.