The Other Projects on the Island
The Residential Complex in the Former Military Hospital
The Military Hospital in the Mariscuola
The Accident and Emergency Department at the "Paolo Merlo" Civic Hospital
Water Pipelines, Drinking Water Plant and Purification Plant
The Bridge Connecting La Maddalena to Caprera
In order to make a start on the projects planned for the G8 a number of areas to host the equipment, offices and activities for the future construction sites first had to be identified and prepared. In this initial phase, it was also necessary to identify the structures for housing the work force involved in the work and in organizing the summit. This was followed, with the Navy's agreement, by the restructuring of a number of buildings and the construction of several new ones, the erection of prefabricated structures and the preparation of temporary storage areas. One of the most complex operations involved transferring the Maritime Military Hospital from the historic building in which it was located (a building which was due to be turned into a hotel for the summit) to the Mariscuola, or Naval Petty Officers' School. To avoid any interruption in its medical activities pending completion of the work begun on the Mariscuola, the hospital was initially transferred to the Faravelli Barracks, and subsequently to a field hospital. The Faravelli Barracks also housed most of the work force engaged in work on the construction sites. The barracks, comprising a complex of buildings set around a broad courtyard, was cleared and completely restructured. The project also provided for the construction of a canteen, a kitchen, a laundry area and new bedrooms, in addition to those already existing, while fully 88 prefabricated living units with a capacity of 352 beds were set up in the inner courtyard. Throughout all of these phases, the work plan also catered for the imminent transfer of ownership from the Navy to the local authorities and for the probability that the complex would be turned into a hotel. Other operations included restructuring two buildings in the Terralugiana area to produce an archive centre and several offices, and rebuilding the headquarters of the SDAI (Underwater Port Anti-Sabotage and Bomb Disposal Squad) Unit in the area of the former Arsenal. Here too, the Unit's divers were able to continue to operate, using a prefabricated structure which was dismantled once the work was finished. In the Punta Vaticano zone to the east of the former Arsenal, another important upgrade operation entailed the demolition of delapidated buildings, the extension of the existing warehouse and the erection of two new buildings, a depôt and a custodian's office, as well as a thorough overhaul of the whole of the external area. These areas were also intended to house the equipment and staff involved in the organization and logistics of the Summit event.
The Residential Complex in the Former Military Hospital
A large hotel complex now occupies the historic area of the former Maritime Military Hospital. The hospital, which has played a major health care role in its long history, particularly in World War II, was built in the early 20th century, and has since become part of the island's architectural and urban heritage. This old building, now restored and consolidated, was the focal point around which the entire project to upgrade the area was developed. The façade has regained its pristine aspect following the removal of buildings that had been added on either side of it to expand the hospital's activities. Its inner space, which covers a surface of almost 3,000 square metres, has been redesigned to meet the new demands of a modern hotel, with reception areas on the ground floor and 16 suites on the three upper floors. Behind this original building, a completely new building has been erected and connected to it. The second building, covering some 14,000 square metres in all, comprises a long central section ending, at either end, in two wings built to a "courtyard" plan. The central section is two floors high and hosts the restaurant and other facilities, while the three stories in either wing house a total of 85 rooms and suites. This second structure gives access to the bar and restaurant buildings, which also have their own outside entrance. The restaurant has glass walls and is built into a pre-existing structure that has been thoroughly restored. While the first hotel faces the shore, with only a very short length of road separating it from the sea, the second hotel is built into a gently rising rocky slope several metres high. The new construction is faced with the same granite it is built on, thus it blends perfectly with the scenery and acts as a kind of backdrop to the historic building.
The Military Hospital in the Mariscuola
The new Maritime Military Hospital is located today inside the Mariscuola, or Naval Petty Officers' School. In particular, the most important restructuring and adaptation work has been done on a building known as the "Detachment". The building, built on five floors covering a total of 8,000 square metres, hosts the hospital proper with its surgeries, wards, offices, recreational facilities, staff housing, service rooms and restaurant. A building earmarked to become the guest house was also restored, while a chapel was built from scratch on the site of an old warehouse.
The Accident and Emergency Department at the "Paolo Merlo" Civic Hospital
The Accident and Emergency Department at the Civic Hospital on La Maddalena is located on the ground floor of the hospital and covers a surface area of approximately 800 square metres. Following the work done to bring the structure into line with modern standards and to expand its capacity, the A&E Department will be furnished with medical equipment, with separate men's and women's wards and with a higher number of beds.
Water Pipelines, Drinking Water Plant and Purification Plant
An adequate water supply is a common problem on many islands, particularly in the long hot summers. Thus several projects were implemented in the context of the work being done for the G8 summit to boost the availability of drinking water on La Maddalena. Water reaches the island through two main pipelines: the first one originates in Palau, while the second, originating in Cannigione, is routed via Caprera before reaching a drinking water plant and being distributed from there. The first pipeline was renewed in the context of the work planned, with most of the piping being replaced and the water plant in Cannigione, which also serves the whole of the former Arsenal area, being upgraded. As a consequence of the increase in the amount of water coming into the drinking water plant, its capacity needed to be increased too. It has in fact now trebled, rising from 60 litres per second to 180 liters per second. This important operation will ensure that all of La Maddalena's water supply needs can now be catered for in the summer, when the island's population shoots up from 12,000 to 45,000 at the height of the tourist season. Another major operation involved the purification plant at Punta Vaticano. The main parts of the plant have been replaced and certain sections of the sewer trunk line have been renewed to prevent sea water from filtering into the purification system. A new undersea pipeline has also been built, extending out from the wharf for over 1 kilometre at a depth of about 50 metres, in view of the fact that the old outlet pipe was too close to the shore.
The Bridge Connecting La Maddalena to Caprera
A narrow stretch of sea separates the island of La Maddalena from Caprera, the island that was Garibaldi's last home. The bridge connecting the two islands has been the focus of a restructuring and widening operation since mid-March. Before work began, the two islands were connected by a "Bailey-type" steel bridge, a modular structure that can be easily and rapidly erected and that is generally used to ensure that vehicles can cross rivers in emergency situations. This bridge, which could only be used in one direction at a time, was dismantled to allow the work to be carried out. It has been replaced by a parallel "Bailey-type" bridge that will continue to ensure the two islands are connected while work is carried out on the new bridge. The new bridge now rests on a solid concrete base which allows leisure craft through the "Passo della Moneta", as the channel separating La Maddalena from Caprera is known. It is approximately 10 metres wide and 50 metres long, and once it is finished, it will allow vehicles and pedestrians to use it in both directions at the same time.
