Near Toulouse, the closure of an air-conditioned space in a senior residence creates controversy
The common room, the only air-conditioned space in the Bel Canto seniors’ residence in Saint-Geniès-Bellevue, is kept closed by the trustee despite complaints from residents.
On the ground floor, a 60-meter room was once the scene of a lively social life in the “Bel Canto” seniors’ residence, in Saint-Geniès-Bellevue squares. The decor: tables and chairs to gather around a game of cards, a kitchenette, a TV corner and another for reading. This place, much appreciated by the inhabitants of the 85 apartments in the building, closed at the start of the pandemic but has never reopened since. The L3D trustee, elected in August 2020, refuses.
This common room is however the only air-conditioned place in the building. If L3D agreed to make it accessible to the elderly to hunt for a bit of freshness during the June heat wave, it did not replicate the experience last week. “July did not reach the heat wave stage, only that of high heat, pleads François Dupeley, president of the syndic. In June, the residents did not respect the barrier gestures in this room. However, I consider that the risk Covid is more important than the heat risk.” An attitude denounced by Sophie Lay, mayor of Saint-Geniès-Bellevue: “I’m doing everything I can to reopen this room, it’s a question of respecting health rules. The prefect advised me to send the trustee an official letter, attaching the recommendations of the ARS. Without success for the moment”.
A place of social life
In addition to being an island of freshness, this room was a place of socialization appreciated by the inhabitants. A schedule of activities concocted by the guardian offers gentle gym sessions, or even a small private market where vegetables, fishmongers and cheese makers are delivered. Audrey Caurel, whose 75-year-old mother has lived in the building for seven years, regrets: “Today my mother no longer sees many people and is quite isolated. Sometimes the neighbors get out of the chairs and sit on the forecourt to chat , but when it’s too hot, they can’t find each other”.
“We do not want these activities to resume in the common room, slice L3D. The residents brought people from outside and that poses a security problem.” The representative of the co-owners also justifies his choice to no longer assign a mission of animation to the manager of the building: “These activities are not part of the roles which fall to him, unlike cleaning and maintenance”. Yann Calot, president of the rental manager Calot et Associés, former trustee of the building, disputed. “The tenants pay high charges precisely because the residence has this living space, he pleads. In two years, we have had a lot of complaints. About fifteen tenants have left and it is not easy to solve them. replace.” A petition calling for the reopening of the common room showed 45 signatures last June. The issue should be on the agenda of the next general meeting, scheduled for the end of 2022.