On Tuesday, June 25, it was in the presence of residents of the Bourgogne district that Gilles Platret, the mayor of Chalon-sur-Saône, inaugurated the new Pierre Vaux square. More details with Info Chalon.
Developed for the first time in 1981 by the Green Spaces Service, the Pierre Vaux square, with an area of 3,400 m², is located in the Boucicaut-Verrerie-Champ Fleuri district opposite the Bourgogne-Pierre Vaux school.
This square owes its name to Pierre Vaux, born January 8, 1821 in Écuelles, became a teacher in Longepierre in Saône-et-Loire. Having revolutionary ideas, he was often challenged and even suspected, particularly following several fires in his commune.
Following these fires, he appeared before the court of Chalon-sur-Saône and was sentenced by the assize court to the penal colony in Cayenne where he died on January 13, 1875 at the age of 54.
While he was in the penal colony, the fires continued, thus proving his innocence. It’s finally his son Pierre Armand Vaux who had him rehabilitated by judgment of the Court of Cassation 22 years after his death.
Given the fact that he had been convicted by the court of Chalon-sur-Saône, the City had to pay tribute to him by giving his name to a street, a school and a square.
The aim of this project was to beautify this place by replacing the huge sand surfaces with grass (the spontaneous grasses were taking over and there was a lack of flowering).
This addition of greenery and all the plants planted make this place more welcoming and more aesthetic.
This project included:
→ road repairs in stabilized sand and soccer field (1 071 m²)
→ increase in grassed areas (1 286 m²)
→ planting 5 treesof a twenty shrubs and approximately 300 perennial plants. These plants have decorative interest due to their foliage, flowering, fragrance and drought resistance.
→ installation de information panels in front of each planted tree and places a sign “a planted tree, perennial plants at its base” to explain the usefulness of perennial plants at the base of the trees
→ replacement of 4 benches aging and addition of 2 additional
→ replacement of 3 baskets and adding 3 more
→ tearing out an aging hedge surrounding the vegetable garden used by primary school children; replaced by a knife closure of 22 linear meters and a hedge of shrubs
→ installation de tit nest boxes in the Austrian black pine thus making it possible to fight against processionary caterpillars
→ integration of colored pencils used in the summer beds of Georges Nouelle Park in 2021. These decorative elements bring a playful and symbolic side to the school.
The Green Spaces Service has set up a collaboration with the Bourgogne Pierre Vaux school in the form of several gardening workshops.
The children with the teachers planted perennial plants around the new trees. This educational activity made it possible to learn how to plant and to understand the choices of these plants and their usefulness. They also participated in various citizen actions: waste collection, collection of dead branches, etc.
Karim Bouakline-Venegas Al Gharnati
