a page in the history of firefighters is turned
The city council of Toulouse voted this Friday the sale of the barracks Vion. This colossal building, with its remarkable architecture, has seen several generations of firefighters pass through in half a century. For the firefighters, lowering the curtain of this barracks will be painful.
Eighty-five apartments, a concrete hall, an amphitheater, a swimming pool, a diving pit… the architecture of the Vion barracks is monumental. And the memories of the Toulouse firefighters are no less colossal there.
Built in 6 years, between 1966 and 1972, this building has seen several generations of firefighters. A story that will end within two years since the town hall of Toulouse voted this Friday morning the sale of this “remarkable monument of the 20th century”.
The Haute-Garonne SDIS wishes to improve its coverage of the territory with the construction of 5 new barracks. A project which aims to reduce intervention times, and in which the closure of the Vion barracks has been recorded.
” We understand that there was a need to reorganize the barracks at the departmental level but it is very painful to know that Vion will close permanently. There are firefighters who have lived here for 40 years. I learned everything there and I am extremely proud to be part of it.“, explains Sylvain Pradère, officer at the Vion barracks.
A pride widely shared by all of these colleagues. Because the Vion barracks have long been one of the most important in France with more than 11,000 interventions carried out each year.
” You have to imagine that families have lived here for years. We have so many memories. From happy times to difficult ones, adds the officer.
We lived through AZF, the Merah attacks and so many other events that it is very difficult to turn the page.
Sylvain Pradère, officer at the Vion barracks
A page all the more difficult to turn as the future of the building is currently uncertain. The town hall of Toulouse has indeed decided to sell this monument built by the Toulouse architect Pierre Debeaux, but does not yet know what its fate will be.
One thing is certain, some parts of the barracks are classified and cannot be destroyed. This is the case for example of the gallery formed by vaults on stilts along the main courtyard.
Next October, the men of the Vion barracks will move to the newly built Carsalade barracks.
“ In 50 years of life, there are many choices that accumulate. There are people who were born here, others who grew up there professionally. Each generation has left a little of itself and we have a colossal construction site waiting for us to sort, tidy up, sometimes throw away and succeed in emptying the premises.“, sums up Bruno Doury, center manager of the Vion barracks.
After their departure, the men of Vion will be temporarily replaced by those of the barracks of the Union which will begin an 18-month renovation phase.
Vion’s sirens will stop holding back for good in two years.