Rethinking Piazza Brocchi as the Hesse Museum closes for works

On Monday evening, the municipal council (Consiglio comunale) spent most of its time on Piazza Brocchi. The executive (Municipio) showed councillors its first ideas for the centre of Montagnola: a new administrative building next to the town hall, an underground car park and a largely pedestrian square. This is not an approved or funded project: it is a 10–15-year vision that now goes to the four political groups for comment. Earlier that evening, the council unanimously approved a CHF 150,000 credit for the programme that will guide how the area develops.

This weekend is All Saints. On Sunday and Monday the parish holds services at Sant’Abbondio, in Agra and in Carabietta, with prayers at the cemeteries. Sunday is also the last day the Hesse Museum is open before it closes for renovation until March. The weather is on our side: a dry week, with cooler mornings from Sunday.

Piazza Brocchi: the vision first, the projects later

The municipal press release describes an evening in two parts. At the extraordinary session on Monday 26 October, with 24 of 30 councillors present, the council unanimously approved the credit to draw up a municipal action programme for quality development (PAC), the tool the municipality will use to set priorities for buildings and public spaces. Councillors also approved six naturalisation applications covering seven people, and the Il Centro group submitted a written question on housing, which the Municipio will answer at the next session.

An information session followed, with no vote. Architect Paolo Canevascini presented the main option: a new administrative building linked to the current town hall, bringing together in Montagnola the offices now spread across several sites. Under this plan, Villa Lucchini in Gentilino would be freed up; its future use has yet to be discussed. The vision also includes an underground car park and a mainly pedestrian square connecting the offices, the primary school and the shops. Mayor Andrea Bernardazzi said the aim was not to present a final project but to start the political discussion.

What could change sooner

Alongside the long-term design, an engineering firm from Ascona proposed temporary, largely reversible measures: reorganised parking and traffic, coloured paving for pedestrians, street furniture and greenery, a more welcoming central oval, and a safer bus stop and school area. According to the municipality, the first works could begin in 2027, but only after further studies and once the related credits are approved. The press release also mentions the 30 km/h limit on the stretch of cantonal road through the village and a planned 30 km/h zone across the whole area, without giving dates.

The same evening, councillors discussed the village shop: moving it into the former Donada building and demolishing the current one would allow the narrow section of the cantonal road to be widened. This too is still under consideration. The Municipio will now put a set of questions to the four political groups; according to the Corriere del Ticino, they have one or two months to respond. For anyone living or working around Piazza Brocchi, nothing changes yet: the process will be long, and each step will need its own funding.

Weather: dry, turning cooler from Sunday

The MeteoSwiss local forecast for 6926 Montagnola, 473 m was updated on Thursday 29 October at 2.11 pm. No rain is expected all week: after a mild Thursday, Friday and Saturday are partly sunny, then full sunshine returns. Highs fall gradually, and from Sunday lows reach 5 °C.

Day	Outlook	Low–high
Thursday 29 October	Sunny	9–17 °C
Friday 30 October	Partly sunny	9–15 °C
Saturday 31 October	Partly sunny	8–14 °C
Sunday 1 November	Mostly sunny	5–13 °C
Monday 2 November	Sunny	5–14 °C
Tuesday 3 November	Sunny	6–13 °C
Wednesday 4 November	Mostly sunny	5–11 °C

Bring a jacket for the morning services at the cemeteries: at 10 am on Sunday and Monday, temperatures will still be close to the lows. The central rainfall estimate is zero, but the uncertainty range allows a few tenths of a millimetre, especially on Wednesday. The hazard page for Montagnola shows no or low danger, and drought at level 1. With the clocks back, the sun now sets around 5.10 pm. Altitude and exposure can make Agra, Gentilino and Carabietta slightly different.

All Saints and All Souls: services at the cemeteries

The parish of Sant’Abbondio and San Tommaso has published its programme. It begins on Saturday 31 October at 5.30 pm with the vigil Mass at San Tommaso in Agra.

On Sunday 1 November, All Saints, the solemn Mass is at 10 am at Sant’Abbondio in Gentilino, followed by a procession to the cemetery and prayers for the dead. At 2 pm the prayers are held at Agra cemetery, and at 3 pm there is Mass at the Carabietta oratory, followed by prayers at the cemetery. On Monday 2 November, All Souls, Mass is at 10 am at Sant’Abbondio cemetery and at 5.30 pm at San Tommaso in Agra. The parish calendar notes that the church bells may be silent because of maintenance.

Sunday: last day at the Hesse Museum

Sunday 1 November is the last chance to see Isa Hesse-Rabinovitch! at the Hermann Hesse Museum, Torre Camuzzi, Ra Cürta 2, Montagnola, open from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm. At 4 pm there is also the year’s final Sunday reading: Lucilla Janssen and Morgan Powell read Guarito, from Hesse’s La cura, in Italian and German.

After that, the museum closes for longer than usual. According to the museum’s visitor information, it is closed from 2 November to 19 March 2027 while the permanent exhibition is renewed, and reopens on 20 March 2027. If you were planning a November visit with guests, this weekend is the time. Residents get in free by showing their Tessera di domicilio (residence card), available from the municipal chancery.

Football: first team in Locarno, INSEMA in Gentilino

FC Collina d’Oro’s first team comes into the weekend after two wins: 2-0 against Dietikon in the league last Saturday, and 1-0 against AC Taverne on Wednesday evening in the first qualifying round of the Prima Lega cup. On Saturday 31 October at 5.30 pm they play away at FC Locarno at the Lido stadium, according to the Prima Lega Match Center.

In Gentilino, on Sunday 1 November at 2 pm, pitch A at the sports centre hosts INSEMA–Rapid Lugano in Youth League B, a youth match, according to the ground’s fixture list. The first team’s next home match is against AC Taverne on Saturday 7 November at 4 pm.

Watch out for…

Via Matorèll, Thursday 5 November. The municipality has announced the road’s closure to vehicles from 7 am to 5.30 pm, from the junction with via Sant’Abbondio to number 3, while a crane is installed. Pedestrian access to homes remains open; the schedule may change in bad weather. If you live there and need the car that day, plan ahead.

Dog areas: display period over. The public display of the two planning applications for dog exercise areas at Sacca and Nocc, which we covered on 15 October, ends on Thursday 29 October. No extension or decision has been announced: they remain applications, not approved sites.

Two planning applications until 6 November. Two private projects are on display in the municipal noticeboard from 23 October to 6 November. In Arasio, Montagnola, an existing building would be extended upwards to create five new flats; at Località Campagna in Carabietta, three buildings would be demolished, a villa renovated and a new family house built. Both request an exemption from the parking rules. The plans can be inspected by appointment at the technical office in Villa Lucchini; objections must reach the Municipio by 6 November, in two copies, in Italian and with reasons.

Useful to know: getting ready for winter

No snow or frost is forecast this week, but the municipality has already reissued its snowfall rules. Snow cleared from private property must not be pushed onto roads or pavements. During snowfall, or when snow is forecast, cars may not be left at the roadside or in public car parks. Roofs and canopies facing public areas must have snow guards, and those responsible are liable for damage caused by falling snow or ice.

If you would like a stall at the Christmas market on 4 December in Piazza Brocchi, stallholder applications remain open until Tuesday 10 November. And a cycling note: with 135 participants, Collina d’Oro came third in Switzerland for participation rate in Cyclomania, the only Ticino municipality taking part. It was the final edition: Pro Velo has ended the challenge after federal funding stopped.

If an event time changes, or you know a Collina d’Oro story we should cover, write to us. See you next Thursday.