PRESS RELEASE (9/3/2017)
Saturday, March 11, a Loano will be inaugurated the section of the’ancient mule track which starts from Verzi and reaches the summit of Monte Carmo. On this occasion will also take place the’Naming of “Largo Amici del Carmo”.
L’inauguration of the trail will kick off at 9 a.m.. The meeting place is in the parking lot under the Church of St. Mary of Grace Parish.
At 11 a.m. will take place the’Naming of Largo “Friends of Carmo” with meeting in front of the social headquarters, 30 Verzi Street.
The trail, cleared and restored by the’Friends of the Carmo Association, had been in a state of neglect since the first half of the 1960s, since the road connecting Verzi to Castagnabanca was built.
Explain Bruno Richero president of the Association: “Godmother of the inauguration of the Verzi-Castagnabanca road was at the time the wife of Dr. Carraro, then head of the Agricultural Forestry Inspectorate of the province of Savona. A few years after the construction of the road, electric light was brought to the farmsteads of Castagnabanca with the laying of concrete poles that were hauled from Cascina Corma towards Verzi, thus coming to create a new path and the old municipal path fell into disuse.
The section of the trail that recently connected Verzi to the Cascina “Corma” is called the “pole trail.” It continues along the old communal road to Rocca d'Avio and Monte Carmo, with a detour to Rifugio Pian della Bosse. Due to the rains and also the passage of motorized vehicles with time it has turned into a deep rut very slippery and dangerous to transit, especially after the rains. Following an inspection with geologist Dr. Luana Isella and C.A.I. - Loano President Franco Moreno, we realized that restoration would be costly in terms of manpower and would also require the use of machinery. Talking then with the elders of Verzi, we learned about the old communal path to the farmsteads of Castagnabanca. The mule track was traveled daily by schoolchildren on their way to school in Verzi. By means also of cadastral maps, we identified the path that had been abandoned for decades, now covered with brambles and felled trees, and set to work to recover it.”.
“We thank the Friends of the Carmo," says Mayor Luigi Pignocca - For once again demonstrating their attachment to the area. Thanks to their commitment, the opportunity to enjoy a new path surrounded by greenery is returned to the people of Lo Lovato and the many hiking enthusiasts. The dedication largo Amici del Carmo wants to remember the commitment of the residents of Verzi and all those who are engaged in the care and enhancement of the Carmo area.”.
“The restored section of trail on the route of the old Via Comunale from Verzi to Cascina Corma can be traveled in about 40 minutes, passing through Rocca d'Avio also from Verzi to reach the summit of Carmo in about 4 hours. - explains Bruno Richero - The aforementioned road was built with the funds of the then Forestry Agricultural Inspectorate thanks also to the decisive labor provided free of charge by the inhabitants of Verzi, who also at that time built the aqueduct and the building housing the Agricultural Land Consortium. Currently that building is partly used as a pizzeria on the ground floor, while on the second floor is a recreation room for young Verzians, the headquarters of the land consortium and aqueduct, and a room used by the “Friends of Carmo” Association.
The people of Verzi have always shown that they care about their hinterland: in 1950 they transported a piece of the pylon from Verzi with which the Cross laid on the summit in the Holy Year 1950 was made. The rest of the transport was divided among the five municipalities bordering the summit. They contributed with free services both to the construction of the Chalet at the summit of Carmo, the land was donated by the Verzino Burastero Emilio, and to the construction of the C.A.I. Shelter at Pian delle Bosse. Therefore, the “Verzini” can always be considered “FRIENDS OF THE CARMO” and the Largo “Amici del Carmo” will also be dedicated to their efforts.
