Municipal projects have fallen behind schedule in the canton of Fribourg. They risk not being able to receive cantonal subsidies, because the deadline to obtain them runs until the end of the year. Political voices are calling for more time to be given to municipalities.
Among the projects on the table, a 50-meter indoor swimming pool in the city of Friborg has been awaited for decades. This project is estimated at nearly 100 million francs and the local authorities are counting on a cantonal subsidy of 15 million francs. But to hope to be able to receive state aid, applications must be submitted by the end of 2025.
You have to find good models and developing them takes time
For Laurent Dietrich, deputy of the Center, this deadline is too tight. Interviewed on Monday in La Matinale, he believes that we need to give the municipalities a breath of fresh air for at least five years, at the risk of seeing these projects fall through. Laurent Dietrich cites “complex” projects and “complicated” financing, because a swimming pool “is expensive, especially in operation”.
“We need to find good models, and developing these models takes time,” continues the MP. He further emphasizes the importance of the subsidy because “every penny is welcome”.
Discussions in the Friborg Parliament
The Friborg Parliament will debate the subject later this year. He had voted for an envelope of 30 million francs during the previous legislature to encourage municipalities to build enough pools.
The canton of Friborg is currently under-equipped with swimming pools. With the inauguration of that of Romont in 2020 and that of Marly in 2022, Friborg is gradually catching up.
Radio Sujet: Mehdi Piccand
Adaptation web: Julie Liardet
Swiss
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