The Grand Council Valaisan validated Thursday, by 127 votes to 2, a credit of nearly 68 million francs in connection with the high school-college of Saint-Maurice. It concerns the creation of sports halls, the renovation and enlargement of the school.
The cost of the project amounts to 85.46 million francs. The State of Valais will pay for 67.91 million francs, via the Figi fund (the funding fund for investment and management of state buildings). The town of Saint-Maurice nearly 7.55 million francs and the Saint-Maurice abbey 10 million francs.
Thursday, the UDC of Valais Romand proposed to take 8.49 million from the ordinary Valais budget in a total of 67.91 million francs at the expense of the canton. Parliament did not follow it.
A contract to be renegotiated
Two proposals of the PS to grant an annual rental only 345,000 francs then of 569,150 francs for the boarding school, still owned by the Abbey of Saint-Maurice, were refused. On the other hand, the Parliament invited the government to conclude a lease contract on the rental of the boarding school, for a minimum firm period of 40 years. State Councilor in charge of economics and training, Christophe Darbellay supported this amendment.
The PS also wished that the Abbey of Saint-Maurice undertakes to reimburse the money invested by the canton in the event of anticipated rupture decisions of the lease or sale to others. An idea swept by the plenum.
-On two sites
The project revolves on two sites: the first includes the main building of the Lycée-College built in 1961 and property of the State of Valais since 2021, which also houses the Martolet performance hall, the boarding school (still ownership of the Abbey of Saint-Maurice) and a pavilion to build. The second, to the west of the CFF tracks, will see the establishment of two sports halls. The land necessary for their realization were made available by the municipality.
The work will start with the renovation of the boarding school and the construction of a pavilion, thus allowing the exploitation of the high school-college during the works. At first, the rooms of the pavilion will be ordinary, before becoming a scientific and documentation pool. The construction of the two gymnastics rooms will be made simultaneously before the renovation of the main building of the current high school-college was carried out.
For 1250 students
The start of the work is aged in the spring next year. The sports halls should be operational for the start of the school year in 2028. As for the work at the level of the college, they should end two years later.
The boarding school will integrate 23 classrooms, three large examination and study rooms, two music rooms, three drawing rooms as well as three computer rooms. The refectory will be renovated as well as the preparation and service spaces. Thanks to all of this work, the Lycée-College Agaunois will be structured to accommodate 1250 students against the current 1100.
ats/ami
