The rays of the sun now make its transparent waters shine, capturing the gaze of passers-by in the park of the prefecture. The Nordic basin is filled with water. Its long-awaited opening to the public is now imminent: there is talk of a launch in mid-May. And the announcement of the deconfinement calendar adds further hope since this date would correspond to the resumption of sports activities. This is perhaps the epilogue of this project launched two years ago by the agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise.
After a phase of deconstruction of the solarium which was located there, overlooking the swimming pool in the square, the first pickaxes were given in April 2019. A huge coated stainless steel basin was installed. The project is not lacking in ambition: Cergy now has a 50-meter swimming pool allowing swimmers to train on eight lines. The depth varies between 1.30 meters and 1.80 meters. But the great peculiarity of this equipment is its location outside. Athletes can do lengths all year round in heated water, and even backstroke with a direct view of the sky.
More than 5 million euros invested
The project required an investment of more than 5 million euros. But he promises to bring Cergy into a new aquatic world. “It is an equipment expected both by the population and the swimming club”, slips Jean-Paul Jeandon, president (PS) of the community of agglomeration of Cergy-Pontoise. “This 50-meter pool is a real breath of fresh air,” confirms Philippe Casbas, president of the CPN (Cergy-Pontoise swimming), a club which has 981 licensees this year, and even more like 1,300 outside the Covid period.
As soon as they reach the high level, swimmers are indeed obliged to train over this distance, the usual 25-meter pools are no longer sufficient. If another equipment of this type should see the light of day in Saint-Leu-Taverny in 2023, there is currently only one Olympic swimming pool in Val-d’Oise. “We had to take the swimmers to Sarcelles, even Saint-Germain (Editor’s note: Yvelines), explains the volunteer. It was very complicated. “
“This kind of structure always attracts top athletes”
With this new basin, which is added to the covered historic site, the club hopes to regroup part of its activities. “There will always be an activity maintained in the other basins of the agglomeration, if only for the little ones because it is necessary to keep a certain proximity with the parents. But for the rest, it really makes sense to come together: to benefit from a group spirit, you have to train in the same place. “
In the ranks of the club, which has nearly 200 competitive swimmers, well-known names stand out. Thibault Capitaine, in particular, is preparing for the Olympic Games and Solène Sache also shines in her disabled sports category, to name a few. But the creation of this new basin could well open up new horizons for this very dynamic association.
“This should allow us to keep the good swimmers,” predicts Philippe Casbas. “We are surrounded by large schools, and this type of structure always attracts top athletes. Today, however, they rarely knock on our door. Because for them, the 50-meter pool is a criterion of choice. “The club will now be able to assert this major asset. And the fact that it is outdoors only increases this attractiveness.
Even more after the Covid epidemic. Even if the virus continues to take its toll, swimming can now be classified as an outdoor sports in Cergy, and as such continue even during a period of restriction. “It is sure that if we had had this pool, we would have experienced the crisis differently”, breathes Philippe Casbas.
An inauguration initially scheduled for June 2020
Unfortunately, the Covid struck when the work was not finished. Initially scheduled for June 2020, the inauguration was first postponed to January 2021. But the situation has hardly improved and the deadline has been further extended. Finally, the last finishing touches, namely the materialization of the water lines with paint, were completed as soon as the weather permitted. And the basin has just been filled with water. The equipment is connected to the district heating network. Its designers promise lower running costs than an indoor pool. A paradox which is explained by the economy made on construction – no building is to be erected – and also by the fact that there is no need to heat the air.
To limit energy consumption, however, a thermal blanket must be deployed each time the pool is closed to maintain the water temperature and limit evaporation. Even the filters used are state-of-the-art: the use of perlite, derived from volcanic rock, requires less space and above all has a much longer duration than traditional sand filters. Next to this ultramodern Nordic basin, the historic indoor site, dating from 1972, will look pale. But the agglomeration plans to renovate it immediately.
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