Par
Coralie Ganivet
Published on
Oct 3, 2024 at 8:38 a.m.
See my news
Follow L’Hebdo de Sèvre et Maine
It’s a structure that should make people envious. Both among mayors and among residents of small surrounding towns.
After 5 years of work including a year and a half of construction and development, the Montbert Childhood Center (Loire-Atlantique) has been in service since the start of the 2024 school year. “It’s a real satisfaction, especially since with the increase in the cost of materials and the reduction in subsidies, we would never have been able to set up the same project today,” notes d immediately the mayor, Jean-Jacques Mirallié.
“No financial impact” on the next mandate
The operation amounts to €3,550,000 excluding tax, including €1,384,670 in subsidies. “This represents 39% of the total amount,” rejoices the elected representative of this town of just over 3,300 inhabitants in the Nantes vineyardattached to the community of communes of Grand Lieu.
The remainder payable by the community is €2,115,830, financed mainly by a loan (€1,890,000) and to a lesser extent (€225,000) by self-financing.
It is a sum that remains significant but at the end of the mandate, in 2026, the municipality’s debt will be equivalent to that of January 2020 when the project began (around €2,300,000, editor’s note), which means that it will have no financial impact for the future.
All while providing a structuring service for the municipality since it now benefits, for the first time in its history, froma place where all activities related to childhood and youth (for 0-11 year olds) are brought together. “It is a major project which is part of the continuity of the nearby youth space opened in 2022”, specifies the mayor of this municipality with a strong policy towards 0-18 year olds, since all the activities which are destined are managed by the municipality itself.
“It’s a great luxury!” »
A strong policy which results, for example, in the brand new little nurserywhich can accommodate twice as many children (20 in total) as the previous municipal micro-crèche. “We also went from 100 to 300 m2with a large garden as a bonus,” rejoices Laëtitia Piraud, its director. “It’s big, bright and well thought out,” she sums up with a smile.
Same feeling for the youth area, which serves 3-11 year olds to after-school and ALSH (leisure reception on Wednesdays and school holidays). “It’s a great luxury!” », smile Aurélie Templier and Jeanne Guillou, director and deputy director respectively, as they pass from the large room where the children have snacks and play to the three other activity and nap rooms.
“It is sized to accommodate 150 children. But we have everything planned to go up to 200 if necessary. The municipality has the adjoining land reserve to redo one or two activity rooms,” explains Gérald Verger, the head of technical services, who was heavily involved in the project, as was Patricia David, finance manager and in charge of the projects. municipal authorities and Yves Bachelier, deputy for Buildings.
All elected officials and services mobilized and invested to bring this project to fruition. It’s a strength that we have.
A positive energy building
Another source of satisfaction: the building’s consumption, which for the moment is zero, even with air conditioning which was installed in a few rooms for the comfort of the children.
« On a 210 m2 solar panels on the roof which allow us to be a positive energy building. It was one of our challenges, we must set an example,” concludes the elected official, who notes at the same time the redevelopment of the outdoor spaces of the sports complex with the arrival of photovoltaic shade houses.
Visitors won over: “it makes you want to be a kid again”
The new Childhood Center was inaugurated on Saturday September 28, 2024 in the presence of officials but also parents and grandparents.
All agree that the place is ideal for children. Starting with Sébastien Coffineau, captain of the Aigrefeuille gendarmerie brigade: “Little one, I’ll be happy to be there! », he smiles. “It makes you want to be a kid again,” assures a veteran when a parent thinks “that the children are going to be good, and the employees too.”
And if the youngest already seem to be masters of the place, some middle school students regret having left before having access to it. “It gives me the blues, I’m not even going to take advantage of it,” whispers a student today in 6th grade. Even he would like to be a kid again.
Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.
