More than a hundred people gathered in front of the town hall, Wednesday, June 8, around 7:30 p.m., to protest against a possible closure of the municipal swimming pool, located at a place called “Montjouvain”.
The site is experiencing serious deterioration issues that could lead to closure if major and costly repairs are not carried out.
An exceptional municipal council was convened on Wednesday evening to find a solution, since no decision had been taken at the previous council meeting on May 19.
A pre-demonstration on social networks
For a week, a pre-demonstration had already started on social networks. Wednesday evening’s sit-in, which was good-natured overall despite a few protesters, had many young people carrying placards that read:
“No swimming, Palme d’or for the mayor”; “A water leak, overwhelmed municipality”.
Around 8 p.m., the mayor, Bernard Puyenchet, asked those present to appoint three people who would represent all the protesters, in order to have, according to him, more peaceful exchanges. But all of them categorically refused.
Finally, the mayor invited the demonstrators to enter the courtyard of the town hall where he gave them an update on the situation of the equipment.
130,000 euros for two months
The two basins are experiencing significant watertightness problems, their daily consumption will be approximately 110 cubic meters of water. For the 60 days of opening this summer, 17,000 euros of “additional public money” are to be expected for a total cost of 130,000 euros for the two months.
One of the possible solutions, today, would be to “line” the existing pool in some way by adding a polyester pool, at a cost of 310,000 euros.
“This patch has a guarantee of five to six years, so not long-lasting. If repair work is started, the entire site will have to be refurbished. The cost of the work will then amount to 1.5 million euros. »
Bernard Puyenchet (Mayor-of Illiers-Combray)
Redevelop or rebuild
The swimming pool will finally remain open this summer. Bernard Puyenchet proposed the creation of a commission of five Islanders who would be responsible for setting up a file with the municipal council.
As of next fall, a project for the redevelopment or new construction of a swimming pool will have to be submitted to the community of communes Entre Beauce et Perche. A thorny point is whether to rebuild on the current site, which is 2 km from the town center, or find land closer to the center.
For some demonstrators, it is out of the question to change site, because their parents learned to swim in “Montjouvain” and they hope that this will be the case for their grandchildren.
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Equipment – A hundred people mobilized for the Illiers-Combray swimming pool, which will remain open this summer