Lido San Domenico: Lugano publishes two calls for tenders

Context

TL;DR

• Lugano City Council has published two tenders for the Lido
• One concerns the buvette, the other its renovation
• The choice will depend on the results of the two tenders
• A petition has collected 4'000 signatures

Key facts

• Location: Lido San Domenico, Lugano
• Buvette management: almost ten years with a longstanding duo
• Deadline: in a few days
• Partnership: public-private with an external investor
• Petition: 4'000 signatures

In Lugano, the Municipality has published two separate tenders for the future of Lido San Domenico, a historic city facility that risks changing its character. The tenders will close in a few days and have raised concerns among residents, artists and political representatives.

One of the tenders concerns the new management of the buvette, which has remained in the hands of a longstanding duo for almost ten years. The other involves renovating the spaces through a possible public-private partnership with an external investor. It is precisely this prospect that has led many to fear a transformation of what the Lido offers, as it is considered much more than a simple bathing facility.

Nina Pusterla, group leader of the Socialist Party in the Municipal Council, linked the discussion to the risk of losing, within Lugano’s urban fabric, a free place accessible to everyone and capable of fostering social interaction. The facility has also hosted musical, artistic and cultural initiatives. Pusterla raised these concerns in an interpellation to the Municipality, of which she is the first signatory. The text was also signed by representatives of other parties.

The choice left open by the Municipality

Roberto Badaracco, deputy mayor of Lugano, explained that the Municipality wanted to retain complete freedom of choice. Based on the results of the tenders, it will assess how many people will participate solely for the management and how many investors will be ready to step in. The reason given for the tender aimed at investors is the City’s financial situation: if an external party provides assistance through a public-private partnership, Lugano would save the sums required.

The Municipality will therefore decide which of the two tenders to prioritize and cancel the other. The procedure follows a mobilization that took place two years ago, when protests persuaded the City to extend the concession to the current management. The future of Lido San Domenico is now once again at the center of public debate, just as the two tenders are approaching their closing date.

Operational details

The cultural role of the Lido

The debate over Lido San Domenico has broadened to include the role the facility plays in city life. For many residents of Lugano, and not only them, the Lido is a place to have a drink, eat or relax, but also to exchange views and think about new projects. The discussion therefore concerns the possibility of preserving a gathering space connected to independent culture, in addition to its function as a bathing facility.

A discussion was held at the Lido about the future of the spaces where independent culture can express itself. Artists, ordinary citizens and politicians came together to ask the City to review the plans that envisage a change in management. The initiative gave public expression to a concern already present in the debate over the two calls for tenders.

The public and artists in the same place

Leo Pusterla, a musician, described the role played by the Lido in the development of new initiatives. In his view, the facility managed to broaden the horizons of its programming and, at the same time, create a meeting place for the public and artists. He explained that this coexistence would have encouraged the emergence of new projects.

Nina Pusterla instead emphasized the consequences of possible management driven above all by commercial considerations. She acknowledged that the economic situation is not easy, but argued that Lugano decides where to invest its resources. The concern expressed is that a public mandate of this kind would attract the usual suspects, but also different actors, according to commercial logic and economic spin-off considerations.

Roberto Badaracco acknowledged that the place has a segment of the population that appreciates it precisely for what it offers.

«there is nevertheless a segment of the population that loves this place, also for what it offers. So in my opinion this should be protected.»

The deputy mayor added that, in the Municipal Council's assessment, economic issues and profit should not be the only factors taken into account, because that would be a shame. He clarified that the decision also involves the other members of the executive.

The discussion became intertwined with the announced closure of the L'Ove venue. In Lugano, therefore, demand for places to meet and develop initiatives is growing as some spaces disappear. Badaracco reported that the issue has been addressed for many years, but also stressed the difficulty of finding venues and reaching consensus within the Municipal Council, including among the different political forces.

Key points

The next stages of the debate

The closest step is the conclusion of the two competitions, scheduled in a few days. It will be on the basis of the results that the Municipality of Lugano will determine which path to prioritize for Lido San Domenico. The other competition will be cancelled, according to the municipal executive. The source does not yet indicate which of the two options will prevail.

The request to review the calls

The petition submitted in support of the Lido has collected 4'000 signatures. This is the second time that the future of the facility has received the support of citizens: the first mobilization mentioned in the source dates back to 2024. For Nina Pusterla, the main request is to review the two competitions.

The Socialist party member first questioned the decision to separate them. She also indicated as particularly relevant the ten-year competition that calls for private parties to be involved in planning the renovation of the Lido. According to Pusterla, it is unclear why this step was entrusted to outside parties and why the City did not choose to invest its own resources.

The debate does not, however, end with the petition. Within the Lido, independent culture continues to call for spaces in which it can express itself. Olmo Cerri, of the Idra association, spoke of many promises and ideas, but stressed that there is still no one willing to take concrete responsibility for making spaces available. In his assessment, there are intentions, but not yet anything concrete.

The solutions being worked on include the new part of the former slaughterhouse and the former tailoring school. The source does not detail the role these places might play, but places them among the options being considered in response to the request for spaces.

The future of the Lido thus remains tied to two decisions: the outcome of the competitions and the direction the Municipality will give to the management and renovation of the facility. In the meantime, the petition and the public debate keep open the request to protect a place associated with independent culture and civic social gathering.

Source: rsi.ch