It’s not just the smell of chlorine that floats above the pools of the Villers-Bocage intercantonal swimming pool, 25 km west of Caen. That of financial worries turns the head of its director and local elected officials. “We had the Covid period, it was hard but we knew it would pass. The energy crisis, on the other hand, we don’t know where it is going, ”says Michel Le Mazier, the president of the intercantonal union which manages the site.
Since the 1970s, this swimming pool has been operated by this structure bringing together the chief towns of the former cantons of the sector: Aunay-sur-Odon, Caumont-L’Eventé, Evrecy, Tilly-sur-Seulles and Villers-Bocage. Fairly small municipalities, which contribute each year to the deficit budget of the aquatic center. “This year, it amounts to €374,000, distributed pro rata between the municipalities,” laments Michel Le Mazier. In 2019, it was €313,800. In the meantime, the closure of the premises due to the Covid had caused the bill to jump to €414,000. This means that the rise in energy prices is bad for public finances.
Then the measures fell. “We lowered the water temperature by one degree. This is a first,” says director Bruno Mattei. From 28.5°C to 27.5°C in the large basin. From 30 to 29 in the fun pool. The trouble is that this effort has fairly limited effects, according to the technical provider. Currently, an estimate is in progress for the lighting. “Lightbars are energy-intensive. We only light one in two for a long time, explains the president of the union. Changing them could save money, but the investment would have to be recouped first. »
Already not easy to bring swimmers back after the Covid
Saving money is not easy. “In a rural area, with municipalities that don’t have a lot of revenue, it’s difficult. They complete their budget and they are asked for more money”, cowardly, sorry, Michel Le Mazier, who confides to spend “a few sleepless nights”. What more can you do to escape this puzzle? The price of school swimming sessions has risen from €250 to €254. The entrance ticket (€4.50 adult entry), on the other hand, does not move, the swimming pool having already taken a while to win back its users after the epidemic. No more than the price of lessons, aquagym or even aquabike, all very popular. Every year, 30,000 people paddle, swim and dive in the Villers-Bocage intercantonal swimming pool.
The specter of closure is never far away, as recalled by the sudden (and temporary) closure of some thirty swimming pools in France managed by the Vert Marine group. An outcome that Bruno Mattei would like to avoid “for our public service objective”. “It must not close! This is very important, especially for children to learn to swim. And then it is also a leisure activity. We would close a trap for well-being, ”says Marie, familiar with the place, met in the city center.
Closing the doors isn’t a silver bullet anyway, according to management. “To save money, we would have to close for a long time. If it’s just a weekend, we would have to heat up the pools, without having had time to save on heating”, develop Bruno Mattei and Michel Le Mazier. Moreover, closing would deprive the site of its revenue.
Studies are underway to quantify the potential savings and the solutions available to the structure. But the noose is more pressing since the expenses weigh on the budgets of the partner communities. “There is sometimes a discrepancy between the financial figures on one side and the ground, the reality of the users”, recognizes Michel Le Mazier, president of a board of directors where each municipality is represented by three elected officials.
An important union meeting will be held on October 11, decisive for the future of the pool. In the city center, Marie would go so far as to accept “a long closure, for a quarter for example, to then offer greater amplitudes during the opening”. While the energy bill will not fail to climb, the participation of municipalities could still increase. The Villers-Bocage intercantonal swimming pool is looking for the key to avoid drinking the cup.