‘Breeze’ and ‘Wind’ make people cycle across the Po River Valley

We have to admit it. The temptation of verbal wit was strong and we could not resist it.  Puns aside, there is much beyond the statement “we allocated the funds to BREZZA (BREEZE), the call for proposals connected with the VENTO (WIND) project”.  Let’s see what it is.

BREZZA (BREEZE) is the call for proposals Fondazione Cariplo launched in 2014 to support the conduct of studies assessing the feasibility of cycle paths and routes along Po River tributaries. Based on the assessment of the technical and planning requirements as well as the economic benefits of such an infrastructure, these studies entail the preparation of a strategic proposal to capitalize on existing cycling routes connecting places featuring beautiful natural landscapes, arts and culture, historical landmarks and culinary traditions.

These routes physically and ideally connect with another route which is the focus of another great project endorsed among others by our Foundation. We are referring to VENTO (WIND), the over 650km cycle touring route crossing the Po River Valley from Turin to Venice, of which, at present, only some sections are already in place and safe for riding. First launched in 2009, VENTO has won supporters along the way and is now backed by 200 public administrations, institutions and associations, including the Piedmont Regional Administration, thousands of citizens, ACRI and Banking Foundations. Completing this project would mean having in place Southern Europe’s longest cycle route, a route dotted with 12,000 farms, 300 hospitality establishments and over 2,000 other businesses, and the potential to create up to 2,000 new jobs within communities that have been hard hit by the economic crisis of these past years. The €80 million investment – which equates the cost of paving a 2.5km motorway section – needed to complete this infrastructure would yield an annual return of some €100 million in terms of income for local businesses.

VENTO and BREZZA - two sides of the same coin - testify to the meaningfulness of Fondazione Cariplo’s and its other partners’ commitment to promoting slow living, respect for the environment, rediscovery of the country’s natural beauties, local heritage and culture, and revitalization of the local communities by leveraging their local excellence. A commitment built on cycling and ‘soft mobility’.

Call for proposals (environment projects) available here

** Photo Gallery: Thanks to VENTOpolimi