Par
Chafik Aouni
Published on
Oct 12, 2024 at 7:16 a.m.
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Sport in Conlie (Sarthe) is a victim of its success. Some 800 athletes from the Conlin associations and the André-Pioger college share the local gymnasiumwhose competence is to the credit of the Community of Communes of Champagne Conlinoise and Pays de Sillé.
To fully understand the current challenges of creating a dojo in Domfront-en-Champagne or possibly a new sports hall attached to the current Conlie gymnasium, it is necessary to go back in time.
A merger that restarts everything
Before the merger of the communities of communes of Sillé and Conlie, the Pays de Sillé was setting up the project for a swimming poolnext to the Paul Scarron school campus.
For his part, Champagne Conlinoise had put together the project of a sports complex in Domfront-en-Champagne. It was done!
But now, the merger (forced by the State) between communities of municipalities giving birth to the 4CPS has redistributed the cards. The swimming pool project in Sillé was unsuccessful and the gymnasium project on Domfront land was also unsuccessful.
Is everything already decided?
Feeling cramped with slots not up to its numbers, the Judo Club of Conlie mobilized to make itself heard. And this summer, a very close vote in the Community of Communes concerning a feasibility study (13 votes for and 12 against), allows the judo club to dream of a dojo in Domfront-en-Champagne.
Recently, the 4CPS sports commission decided on the choice of the architect.
Does this mean that the problem is resolved? A priori, no. It will be necessary to go through a new vote at the 4CPS to validate or not the project. This should take place in a few weeks.
Alternatives?
For its part, the Conlie sports commission does not even view the current project favorably. “We propose to the 4CPS to do a much more modest dojo in Domfront and of build a new sports hall attached to the current Conlie gymnasium in order to meet the expectations of all the associations and the André Pioger college. This proposal was unsuccessful,” underlines Mikael Jupin, president of the Conlie sports commission and member of the 4CPS sports commission.
In a letter to which we had access, we learned that the municipality of Conlie proposed the donation of plot A298 of 26 acres for a feasibility study of a future dojo on the existing land. This proposal was also refused by the 4CPS.
The latter explains that it “does not have general sports skills which would result in it managing all the sports facilities in the area”.
The medical home in the balance?
The Conlie sports commission would even be for a change in skills. That the Conlie gymnasium be managed by the commune of Conlie and that the Medical Center which needs to expand its walls, be under the jurisdiction of the 4CPS, like that of the Sillé Health Centre. In short, it requires “a certain territorial coherence”.
A “barter” of skills will certainly not be appreciated by the municipality of Domfront-en-Champagne unless it occurs after the construction of “its” dojo.
Alain Zanal, president of the Sarthe Judo Committee
“We recently learned that there was talk of a dojo project for the Conlie club. The Sarthe Judo Committee supports the Conlie club which is in full development. We will follow with interest the feasibility study of this structure at Domfront-en-Champagne”, says Alain Zannal, president of the Sarthe Judo Committee. However, the latter is very clear: “The Committee is not responsible for this project”.
His position on a dojo in Domfront? “It is not our responsibility. It is the responsibility of the Community of Communes of Champagne Conlinoises and Pays de Sillé. It is up to elected officials to make their choice.”
A possible change of skill gymnasium versus medical house is not officially addressed. “It could happen,” said Christian Lemasson half-heartedly.
A missed chance?
To make its sports association fabric breathe, Conlie may have missed his chance when the former president of the conlinois basketball club had put together the project of a new well-subsidized gymnasium as part of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with a budget of just over one million euros.
The municipality itself did not bring this project before the 4CPS, even if it was only supposed to contribute around €200,000.
A lack of finance
The mayor, Christian Lemasson, is not the type to invest on promises. He wants to manage his town like a good father.
“A few months ago,” said Christian Lemasson, “ I did not carry out the project proposed by the basketball club because we did not have the necessary finances. Our priority was to consolidate the two public schools. The work is underway for 1.6 million euros, it remains a very good operation for this mandate. Today, Conlie cannot build a dojo or a gymnasium on his own. And he is out of the question of putting the municipality in the red. »
The chief magistrate of Conlie continues: “There is talk of a dojo in Domfront. Obviously, I would have liked the Community of Municipalities to choose Conlie to expand the current gymnasium. This solution would have solved the problem of associations which lack space and slots. In any case, I can only support those who are working. To date, nothing is certain in advance. We will see what the architect’s study will produce.”
In any case, the creation of a possible dojo, in Domfront, would an end point to any other major sports construction carried out by the 4CPS. And when the famous swimming pool promised to the Pays de Sillé, it should go by the wayside unless there is a miracle.
Continuation of this file, this Sunday, October 13, with the point of view of Hugues Bombled, vice-president in charge of the sports infrastructure commission within the 4CPS.
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