Participation in Prato:
Active citizenship

Santa Trinita

An association of citizens, professionals and shopkeepers working to upgrade the district

Santa Trinita Consortium, which is based in the historical neighbourhoods within the walls - Datini, Cicognini and Santa Chiara - was founded in June 2013 by a group of citizens, shopkeepers and professionals who, through a positive and proactive attitude towards promoting their district, search for concrete and viable solutions in the social, economic and juridical fields.
"The association was from the start actively and dynamically involved in promoting the area by involving everyone who lives and works here or holds a personal interest or just wishes to share this experience. The main distinguishing feature of this initiative is the stated objective of synthesizing various thoughts and different needs, with the aim of turning them into a proactive strength. In other words, we want to solve different problems with ideas, bringing out or underlining what is good in our district, certain that only by acting well will we succeed in creating an appeal that can relaunch the area and make it attractive for new businesses and new residents."
All the projects are conceived and managed within an open debate with local administrators and bodies: cultural institutions, schools, and other associations. The Consortium decided to deal immediately with what at the time was a forgotten and derelict corner of the district: the Gardens of Sant'Orsola, which became the symbol of the association and its first real regeneration challenge.

Through an awareness-raising dinner, titled "Imagining Sant'Orsola", three regeneration projects, the installation of water and electrical systems, new fences and a new gate, the Consortium has ensured maintenance and supervision. To strengthen the sense of belonging to the neighbourhood, two initiatives were organized, one at Christmas 2013 and one in spring 2014. On the former occasion, lamp posts throughout the district were decked out with Christmas decorations evoking the Consortium, and wreaths were provided for private residences and shops.

On the latter occasion, a survey -"I'm not asking for the moon" – was organized with coupons and urns in the shops, in order to evaluate the needs of the district, followed by an awareness-raising dinner titled "the Conquest of the Square", to promote the redevelopment of the ancient Piazza dell'Ospedale.
The summer season organized in the Sant'Orsola gardens, with about 30 events involving workshops, culture, sports, music, theatre and cinema and the unforgettable "Picnic-box" (InSantorsola, part of In Prato Estate) and the three editions of Street Food (2013-2016) organized in three different locations of the district (via Santa Trinita, Piazza del Collegio and Piazza San Francesco) illustrate the gardens' importance for the city in 2015 and 2016.
In addition to "recreational" events, the association is behind initiatives that use the expertise of professional members, with numerous ad hoc technical committees engaged in the study and design of regeneration plans to be presented to the competent authorities, with a view to collaborating with institutions in a constructive way.