the quality of life will be improved in Bonnefoy and Marengo
Thanks to the “My ideas for my neighborhood” operation, the quality of life will be improved in the Bonnefoy and Marengo neighborhoods in Toulouse. Trees will be planted, birdhouses installed and facilities for cyclists will be made.
The quality of life will improve in the Bonnefoy and Marengo neighborhoods in Toulouse. In any case, this is the whole objective of winning projects of the “My ideas for my neighborhood” operation. For the record, the town hall of the Pink City invites residents to make proposals to improve life in their neighborhood. Out of 1,600 ideas submitted, 83 will see the light of day this year or in the next two years.
Eight of them will be carried out in district 4.1, namely Bonnefoy, Marengo, Lapujade, Périole and La Colonne. Four of these projects are classified in the “nature in the city” category, two in the “eco-mobility” category, one in the “waste and recycling” category and one in the “living environment” category. The municipality is mobilizing an amount of 430,320 euros to implement them.
Advantage of trees in neighborhoods
Will the neighborhood become more green? The resident who submitted the first winning idea hopes so. This actually asks to “multiply the points of source of freshness and capture of CO2”. He thus suggests “planting shrubs whose maintenance is easy” in all public green spaces, to “favor the installation of flowers from bulbs and perennials” in parks, but also to “leave areas not mowed to promote wildlife, diversity and limit water evaporation”.
Finally, the project leader maintained that the town hall “encourages residents to green their balconies”. He thus proposes to create events in autumn and spring in order to “offer tips for plantations, the association of plants, the management of watering and free cuttings”. The City of Toulouse will invest 50,000 euros for this idea. However, she remains quite evasive about what will be done. Indeed, the town hall only indicates: “It is possible to plant trees and cut several sites in the neighborhood “.
Securing cyclists rue de Périole
The second proposal relates to the creation of a cycle path on rue de Périole to “secure travel”. “The street is particularly targeted and dangerous because of the excessive speed of motorists. As the street does not allow the construction of a cycle path as it is, why not create a one-way street on the roundabout part of Périole/rue des Cheminots up to avenue de Lavaur? It could also widen the sidewalks which are too narrow on this section,” says the local resident behind this project.
But the municipality will not be able to realize this idea. “The work on the Faubourg Bonnefoy as part of the construction of the 3rd metro line does not allow a one-way passage on rue de Périole. Consequently, it is not possible to create a cycle path on this axis before 2028 “, she underlines. However, the City considers that it is “advisable to secure” this axis. It therefore plans to create “a roadway with an unmarked central lane (CVCB) while waiting for the one-way street layout and permanent development”.
Bird houses and insect hotels
The resident behind the third idea, who got a budget of 5,320 euros, wants to bring insects and birds to the city. To do this, he recommends creating green spaces to make life easier for these little creatures. He cites in particular the Observatory garden and that of the Hauts de Bonnefoy or the cemeteries of Terre-Cabade and Salonique. “My idea is to equip these green spaces with nesting boxes, batboxes, insect hotels, hives and water points, so that this fauna can develop”, explains the local resident.
The City specifies that it is “possible toequip certain green spaces in the neighborhood with birdhouses and insect hotels “. It will install them in four parks, probably Hauts de Bonnefoy, Pierre Rous, Observatoire and Michelet. For hives, it will be more complicated. “The installation of hives is regulated by a prefectural decree setting strict rules”, informs the town hall which will not install water points “given the risk of proliferation of mosquitoes”. It will also deploy nest traps against these pests.
Composters in Toulouse schools
The fourth proposal is to “install composters in the schools of the city”. According to the local resident behind this project, the objectives are numerous: “raise children’s awareness of good ecological practices”, “rapidly reduce the share of waste treated by household waste services”, “provide fertilizer for green spaces “. schools” and “respect the energy transition law for green growth of 2015 which provides for the generalization of source sorting of bio-waste by 2025”.
The Toulouse municipality considers that the idea of this inhabitant is feasible. ” He is possible to equip public schools in the district with composters she says. The town hall will thus invest an amount of 35,000 euros to implement this proposal. She does, however, make a few remarks about it. “The installation of these devices is subject to the commitment of the educational team to bring the composter to life”, concluded the City of Toulouse in its technical opinion.
A mobile refreshment bar in the Michelet garden
Give “a little more life to the beautiful Michelet garden”. This is what a resident of the Bonnefoy district wishes. He thus recommends installing a kiosk or a guinguette which “could sell drinks and snacks to be consumed on the spot” and “be presumed at events such as concerts or exhibitions”. “The potential of this park is currently untapped and the suburb still does not have its essential rallying point like certain districts. It is currently only a passage to the city center, ”laments the resident.
But the idea of this Toulousain will not see the light of day. Indeed, “the Michelet garden is a classified Espace Classé Boisé garden. The classified areas cannot be built to accommodate a kiosk or a hard refreshment bar (creation of a building)”, explains the town hall of the Pink City. Instead, she offer “a mobile (movable by bike) and seasonal refreshment bar” which “would be consistent with the peaceful uses of a garden”. A first experiment of this kind has already taken place in the green space this year.
More safety for cyclists on the Lapujade path
As for rue de Périole, the sixth recommended project the creation of a cycle path “on the missing part of the Lapujade road”. “That is to say from rue Paul Pujos to the roundabout of Africa. Chemin Lapujade (from the Intermarché to Chemin de Lanusse) deserves to be redone following the various works,” considered the resident of the Bonnefoy district who submitted this proposal during the call for ideas. Again, a bike path is not feasible on Chemin Lapujade.
“We have to put the road in one direction, which is not possible before the end of the metro work (2028)”, supports the town hall of Toulouse. She provided an alternative. “It is therefore proposed to carry out a tactical development, namely a roadway with an unmarked central lane which will make it possible to secure cyclists using the path while waiting for the realization of a permanent development”, announces the City. A cycle path could therefore be created, but in several years.
An algal tree in the Marengo district?
The algal tree, an air purifier made up of microalgae, convinced him. A local resident would actually like to see it prove effective, particularly in the Marengo district. “This air purifier is a beneficial device for Toulouse’s air quality. Its locations should be increased particularly in strategic areas of high air pollution such as the Matabiau station or the Basso Cambo metro station”, presents the leader of this project, which recorded 21 votes in total.
As a reminder, Toulouse Métropole had conducted an experiment in 2020 with the algal tree which has “authorized license that the device works and is effective against micropollutants”. “In order to have an impact on CO2, it is necessary to target particularly exposed areas (urban environments generating a high concentration, a slow dispersion). An opportunity analysis of the site should complete the deployment of this solution,” notes the town hall, which is mobilizing 80,000 euros for this project.
Revegetation of the surroundings of the Marengo and Périole schools
The last idea proposes revegetate the surroundings of the Marengo and Périole schools, in particular “the access road which starts from rue Périole and serves the two schools”. “The development of green walls could be considered, as well as the development of the embankment between the school and the canteen. Several options could be assigned, in consultation between the schools, the parents of the pupils and the inhabitants of the district. Some projects could involve the participation of children”, predict the Toulousain who proposed this idea.
The municipality agrees with this project and will invest 160,000 euros for its realization. “It is possible to plant six to ten trees depending on the presence of the networks,” she estimates. The City of Toulouse thus intends to plant three trees in the massif of the rue du Maréchal Gallieni, three others in the massif near the canteen in the school group and two or three on the embankment of the rue de Périole. Regarding the green walls, the town hall indicates that their creation is “technically possible but very expensive”.