Toulouse: The future Sainte-Lucie maternal center near the ring road is controversial
The Sainte-Lucie maternal center, currently at Fer-à-Cheval, could move near the ring road to the former EPHAD des Tourelles. An initiative that raises the anger of the collective against noise pollution.
“We still do not understand this decision, insists Jérôme Favrel of the Collective against air pollution in the Toulouse conurbation (CCNAAT). Transferring a center with young children to a polluting area, located in an air corridor seems incomprehensible to us”.
“a place not suitable for this type of structure”, according to the CCNAAT
The former EHPAD des Tourelles located on the edge of the ring road in Lardenne, could soon be rehabilitated to accommodate the Sainte-Lucie maternal center, currently located in Fer-à-Cheval. This structure accommodates women in precarious situations and mothers with young children under the age of three, until these mothers find accommodation and can be independent. Scheduled for the summer of 2022 and presented at €5.5 million, this project by the Communal Center for Social Action (CCAS) and the Department of Haute-Garonne, funder for Child Protection, surprises and raise questions. “This place is not suited to this type of social structure, believes Jérôme Favrel. Only an industrial tertiary activity, factory version can set up in such a place. The City tells us that work will be done, particularly in terms of sound insulation, but outside when the children go to play, nothing will be done. In addition, the occupants will also be confronted with fine particles linked to traffic on the ring road”. This official also recalls that this establishment can be considered illegal: “Indeed, areas classified as A, B or C cannot accommodate new inhabitants and even less children. However, this former EPHAD is located on the edge of the zones concerned B and C”.
Chantal Asker, president of the CCNAAT which, in Toulouse, brings together individuals and several neighborhood associations, elected officials and representatives of the aeronautical professions, is also very surprised by this project of the Communal Center for Social Action (CCAS): “Currently, 21,000 homes, including classified public establishments (high schools, hospitals, colleges), are confronted with noise. To help them in this situation, these people can receive aid to soundproof their homes. In total disagreement with this decision, we have decided to postpone the study of this file to a later date not specified to date”.
Another astonishment comes from the President of the Union of Neighborhood Committees and CCNAAT member, Guillaume Drijard, who asks a logical question: “Why does the CCAS favor moving rather than renovating the Center Sainte-Lucie? “.
“The Sainte-Lucie maternal center no longer meets safety standards to accommodate these mothers and children”
Contacted, the CCAS, owner of the former EPHAD des Tourelles, details this project: “The CCAS manages several establishments with a social vocation, including the Center Sainte-Lucie. Or this place no longer allows, currently, to welcome women and children in complete safety. The CCAS, owner of the former EPHAD des Tourelles whose building is vast with a large wooded park of more than 8000 m2, therefore plans with the Department of Haute-Garonne, to invest more than 5 million € in the rehabilitation of this building. The works clearly include the acoustic re-insulation to current standards in line with both the regulations relating to air corridors and what is done for all the housing of the inhabitants located in this sector. The rooms will be arranged in such a way as to allow mothers and their babies to have a separate space, a kitchen area and on the ground floor, access to the outdoor park, so that once received in this place in an emergency , their stay takes place in the best conditions to learn to become a mother and become independent. Through this project, the CCAS recommended using its vacant assets for a population whose needs for accommodation and support are increasing. This without further isolating them from the conveniences of Toulouse”.