There was no longer any doubt, but an official green light was needed. The board of directors of the Métropole du Grand Paris (MGP) voted on Friday: it is the Bouygues group that will build the Saint-Denis Olympic Aquatic Center. The site should start in a year, in the Saulnier district, opposite the Stade de France.
The visuals of the project suggest an imposing building, wrapped in wood under a wavy roof and surrounded by green spaces. “A lighthouse”, in the heart of “a new district of Saint-Denis”, was recently enthusiastic about Patrick Ollier, president (LR) of MGP with the Parisian.
“The best project”, according to the mayor of Saint-Denis
The PCF mayor of Saint-Denis Laurent Russier would have preferred that “the project be presented to communities and residents before the vote”, but the choice suits him: “The Bouygues project was the best from my point of view”.
The concession contract will be signed in June. Beyond the 2024 Games, the stated objective is to leave a legacy of a swimming pool capable of hosting, in addition to major sports competitions, families and schoolchildren from Seine-Saint-Denis.
The MGP, contracting authority, entrusts not only the construction but also the operation of the future swimming pool to the group of companies formed around Bouygues, including the company Récréa, specialized in this field (and already in command of the Water Lilies, to Noisy-le-Grand). And this, for a period of 15 years.
Play area, fitness, climbing, 5-a-side football…
The pool inherited from the Games, which can be split into two parts, will be dedicated to sporting practices, and will host the city’s clubs, the training sessions of the French Swimming Federation, but also schoolchildren already capable of getting by in the water.
But the project also provides for the creation of a learning pool, and a fun aquatic area, dedicated to the youngest and families. The equipment will also house other sports facilities, dedicated to fitness, climbing, 5-a-side football, 3-on-3 basketball and padel.
Capped rates
This “additional program” (which MGP will finance with an additional € 20 million) should make it possible to boost attendance at the place. The future concessionaire is counting on 950,000 admissions per year, a gauge that some consider excessively high. But it is on this frequentation that will depend largely the financial balance of the equipment.
The price list has been designed to respect the ceilings set by the MGP. It provides adult entry of € 4.80 for the Olympic pools, and € 5.50 for the water park. The prices are still subject to change between now and 2025, the date when the pool will be opened to the public.
