I'm in Schio, following the Maestra 'Roza' (canal), which has been running through the town for over five hundred years. It was built to turn paddles, mills, wheels and turbines. It has been part of the history of these people. Today, it appears neglected and useless because it no longer seems to serve any purpose. Is it still a living place? Perhaps a key to unlocking the stories of this place.

There are very few places where you can spend time in the company of the Roza. The first is a small park with public access, unmarked and almost hidden: a discreet meeting point, somewhat untamed but nevertheless lively. Close by is a public footpath along the canal that leads to a private gate blocking further access. After about a kilometre, the Roza reappears in the old town, next to a former wool mill where two turbines remain, restored and open to visitors. It then passes between the houses again and re-emerges at the old wash houses, now converted into another small public park. As a result, the few points of access to the canal are clear and distinct.

The notices along the Roza are mainly signs of prohibition: no fishing, no littering. There are a few touristic signs indicating the (official) name of the canal, Roggia Maestra, and I found an explanatory panel that briefly recounts the canal's history

The most noticeable contrast is between care and neglect: for example, the walkway along the first section of the Roza is generally overlooked, although there are places where one notes particular care, such as in the small park that has been furnished privately. There is no obvious litter, except in a few cases. One can see that these spaces are frequented and inhabited, and that there are individuals who take occasional care of them, but these activities remain superficial.

I believe hearing is the sense most variously stimulated along the course. The water flows in multiple ways: now silent and monotonous, now alive and vociferous, traversing quiet residential neighbourhoods and busier areas of the historic centre. The scents vary too; in the first areas, the vegetation provides fresh, damp aromas. In the city centre, the synthetic and dusty smells of the street prevail, along with the occasional whiff from the home kitchens. Visually, we alternate between intimate, enclosed spaces, such as the initial park, and more open areas. The route winds its way between buildings that narrow the field of vision.

Among the most striking identifying features of these spaces, I singled out the juxtaposition between the Roza and the architecture of the old industrial structures, built in the second half of the nineteenth century. You can easily recognise the old wool mills, turbines, and hydraulic works for harnessing the current.

Along the Roza there are passing places and meeting points. The first small park has the appearance of a hideaway; the graffiti suggests that the place is frequented, possibly in the evenings, by young people who live in the area. Then there is the passageway towards the former wool mill: before reaching the private area, the canal runs alongside a small playground that is clearly frequented by children who live in the surrounding houses. In the old town the Roza runs alongside a bar with outdoor tables, which is particularly popular in the evening for aperitifs. Finally, near the old wash houses, there is a small, quiet playground used by residents.

Each meeting point along the Roza bears traces of those who frequent it. The graffiti in the first space, the children's games along the path, and the marks left by people and dogs at the wash houses tell of their passage.

There are areas that are highly visible to all passers-by, such as the small waterfall next to the bar. In other cases, access is less immediate, such as at the former wash houses or in the small playground located within a residential area. By contrast, access to the first meeting place, where the Roza begins its course in Schio, is almost concealed.

The past industries, the old turbines, the wash houses and the very presence of the Roza are reminders of other times, of the many generations who have lived, worked and used the water in Schio over the last two hundred years.

The transformations along the Roza seem slow, but we can see that each generation has imbued the route with new meanings and ways of living. We can discern old works, new neighbourhoods and a recent appreciation of the history of these places.

These spaces exist because the Roza exists: a canal built to power machinery and supply industries. A sign of utility. Today, these same spaces, stripped of their original meanings, receive light, air, sounds and refreshment from the canal. Today, water brings beauty and memory to these places.