A future facility located in the heart of a rapidly changing neighborhood
From an industrial flagship during the prosperous period of the textile era, the territory of the Union has now become a center of excellence (Plaine Images, European Center for Innovative Textiles, hive of innovative companies, business installation of international scales) driven by a strong political will. At the heart of urban planning working in favor of a sustainable city, innovative sports facilities welcoming a wider audience will be a complementary springboard in the definition of this dynamic vision supported by local authorities. The planned site is also in the immediate vicinity of the Roubaix canal, a 10-hectare urban park, and the former Terken wasteland, the redevelopment of which continues.
A project of metropolitan interest
This future equipment will notably consist of a 50-meter pool, learning and play pools and even multi-sport activities. Due to its location, this future equipment will be intended to strengthen the territorial network of metropolitan swimming pools. In view of its main characteristics, such equipment will contribute to the improvement of the offer for school, extracurricular or family uses and to the influence of the MEL by allowing the hosting of competitions, justifying the intervention of the MEL with regard to of the metropolitan interest attached to it.
A financial agreement between the MEL, which will be the main contributor, and the towns of Roubaix and Tourcoing, will be established to specify the effective amount of reciprocal participations, in terms of investment and operation, in accordance with the provisions of the Piscines Plan 2 deliberated on December 16, 2022.
Milestone on swimming pool plan 2
The MEL carried out a diagnosis of the public swimming pools listed on its territory and an analysis of the needs of the population. This study highlighted the still unequal access of schools in the metropolis to swimming as well as the significant travel times to get there.
Furthermore, 2/3 of the swimming pools in the MEL are more than 30 years old and no longer meet modern energy performance and comfort criteria.
It is in response to this observation that the swimming pool plan 2 was born, which has 3 ambitions:
1. Support existing swimming pools through the investment competition fund. This involves ensuring the sustainability of current equipment with a view to reducing operating costs for municipalities and responding to energy management challenges. This assistance provided to municipalities makes it possible in particular to initiate construction and renovation projects for existing swimming pools.
2. Support municipalities in learning to swim for schoolchildren through the competition fund in operation.
3. Build new swimming pools that can accommodate young people learning to swim and high-level metropolitan clubs.
To date, swimming pool plan 2 includes 6 equipment construction projects and one extension project.
“The implementation of the swimming pool plan 2 continues with the recognition of metropolitan interest of the project in the Union ZAC. There are now 7 projects of metropolitan interest which are confirmed and will see the light of day in the years to come. The metropolis needs more pools to encourage learning to swim. We can therefore only welcome all the initiatives carried out by the municipalities for the creation of new facilities. » underlines Damien Castelain, President of the European Metropolis of Lille.
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