With the desire for a new ice rink for the 2030 Winter Olympics, the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, plans to remove the historic one at the Jean-Bouin center to build a second swimming pool.
The Jean-Bouin sports complex in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), well known to Riviera residents, should see its ice rink disappear after 2030, mayor Christian Estrosi announced in several local media. The elected official wishes to build a second swimming pool in order to create a “aquatic pole”he clarified, referring to “a new 25 meter pool”, “a diving pit” or even “a fun place with water games”.
The upcoming removal of this ice rink will be compensated by the construction of a new one in the Var plain, in the west of the city, in view of the 2030 Winter Olympic Games which will take place in the Alps but also in the Riviera capital for ice sports (hockey, curling, short track speed skating). The Jean-Bouin ice rink is judged “obsolete” by the mayor of Nice, who also sees this building as energy-intensive, no longer up to standard and which would cost 1.2 million euros per year in consumption. The imposing building, which also includes a parking lot, was erected in 1984 during the mandate of Jacques Médecin.
“Renovated” not “destroyed”
Christian Estrosi also intends to redo the roof of this sports complex, which today resembles a large glass roof, although rumors of a total demolition may have circulated. “The Jean-Bouin complex will not be destroyed but renovated”he corrected on his X account, the subject could be sensitive after the demolitions near the theater and the convention center. The councilor again mentioned “a duty to respond to a post-Olympic request” for the rehabilitation of the city’s swimming pools, which has eight. Studies are also underway for the construction of new annex basins.
The Jean-Bouin ice rink, which hosts Nice’s professional ice hockey team all year round, will remain in its current state until 2030, assured the mayor, recalling that it will still serve as an ice rink. training during the Olympics. The councilor, however, did not discuss the costs of this future work, only indicating that the new ice rink, which will have 10,000 seats, will be financed within the framework of the Olympic Games, which will free up “credits”. For these Games, two ice rinks will also be temporarily set up in the Allianz Riviera stadium.
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