For several days a funny blue structure has been floating in the lagoon against musical beach, in Bandrélé. Announced last May, the sports pool is being installed. Hold in water thanks to buoys, the basin will have 8 swimming corridors 25 meters long, surrounded by a floating platform. Installed almost 150 meters from the shore in order to be still in water regardless of the tide, it will be usable all year round and accessible by a floating pontoon. But it is not the only infrastructure that will make up the site, since elements on the ground are currently under construction, namely: a locker room, showers, a place to storage equipment, a emergency item and a five -meter -in -hee.
Floating sports pool and secure swimming
« The basin will be operational at the end of August, early September “hopes François Delaroque, referent of the project for the town hall of Bandrélé, who wishes to specify that ” False information circulates on social networks… The pontoon is not drifting, but it was won expressly awaiting the construction of terrestrial sites, because in the long term it is he who must connect the floating structure to the earth, it is a question of security ”.
The basin will be intended as a priority for school nautical activities, in particular schools, college and the Lycée de Bandrélé, but also the college of Tsimkoura. “” The ARS performs monthly controls on the quality of the site’s water, and it appears that musical beach has good quality water ”assures François Delaroque, concerning health risks. “” The basin does not have a submarine net as it could be dangerous for users ”add the referent.
The population will still be able to benefit from the site by bathing in the first monitoring area of Mayotte, which will be delimited by buoys and monitored by a lifeguard. Access to the floating basin is prohibited and will be controlled.
The “sea swimming pool” may be made available free of charge associations, sports clubs, or private operators, to offer supervised nautical activities. In May, the town hall of Bandrélé launched an appeal for expressions of interest to the structures wishing to use the basin, for the moment ” Only the usual associations have responded “according to François Delaroque. “” We think that emulation around the basin will be born gradually and we are ready to receive all proposals, including clubs but also associations, to allow all audiences to use the installation, such as people with disabilities. ”
A call to a collective effort and a political vision to fully exploit the site
« The basin is a great working tool, to organize competitions, tournaments, internships, training, but the city of Bandrélé must go to the end of its ambitions ”estimates Alain Baron, lifeguarder, specializing in the training of competition swimmers, president of the Mayotte swimming club, and referent of the French Swimming Federation (FFN).
It notes that prioritizing school activities is a good thing but that it is time to develop a professional approach to water sports, in particular with the approach of the Games of the Indian Ocean Islands in 2027, and that the site must be made as accessible as possible to sports clubs. “It is regrettable that, for the youth games of the Indian Ocean Islands this summer, I was asked if there were Mahorais participants aged 14 to 17, and that I had to answer that there was none. On the side of the Water-Polo club, team members cannot train before 5 p.m./ 6 p.m. due to their professional lives and in the absence of lights, the basin will not be usable for them ”he explains.
In order to develop this professional approach among students, the population but also the municipalities, Alain Baron counts on the city of Bandrélé to set up a policy of attractiveness, of ambition, and this involves in particular the lifeguards. “” You have to make lifeguards want to come, they must be able to be welcomed in comfort on the site, it must be ensured that they are safe ”, Continues the one who sensitizes the public authorities on the challenge of developing access to the lagoon and activities in the ocean for more than five years. “” In order for clubs and municipalities to be interested in it and the site is exploited at its maximum, you need a vision ”.
Victor Diwisch
