What does a crematorium in a village of 184 inhabitants perched at 750 meters on the Ruffi mountains, a few kilometers from Rome? This is what the residents asked themselves, in front of the project presented by the mayor and approved by the city council for a "temple crematorium" to be installed right at the entrance to the tiny village, next to the cemetery. And the protest immediately broke out: 107 nos collected by the citizen committee which promptly formed itself.
Rocca Canterbury it is a very small agglomeration and the road to reach it ends right there, after having climbed between bends and counter-bends. In short, you really have to want to get to this country, it's not just passing through.
Last September, the mayor presented the project finance proposal put forward by some companies for the construction of a crematorium near the municipal cemetery. And he did not fail to express his favorable opinion for the positive effects that the project should have both in economic and job terms, and for the presences that could exist in the area.
Of course, he did not hide the possible doubts that could arise about the type of activity that will be carried out, "however, since the cemetery has other entrances, these activities should not affect normal attendance". In short, “there are more favorable aspects than against”. The hypothesis of the "temple crematorium" was unanimously approved by the city council and therefore the resolution that establishes the "public interest" became immediately enforceable
Citizens have created a protest committee and in a few days the mayor received 107 signatures to block the initiative, which reached 280 at the end of October due to the "no" also from the inhabitants of neighboring towns. The disputes concern, in the first place, the activity of the crematorium: the suspicion is that it would become a plant to support Rome – which is unable to dispose of the request for cremation – and therefore with a cycle of at least 6 deceased per day, since such a plant requires continuous cycle operation to obtain a cost-benefit balance.
The second risk concerns the daily transit on the only entrance way to the small town center (and the cemetery): via Empolitana, a narrow and winding mountain road that would become the way for hearses throughout the day.
Finally, there is something to consider environmental impact: the project would bring not only an imposing flow of concrete close to the cemetery, but also the fumes due to the activity of the "temple crematorium". And what should the economic and job repercussions be for Rocca Canterano? Time will tell us if we are really facing a new massacre.
