On the Place Hoche in Rennes, the practice of skateboarding is now regulated. – J. Gicquel / 20 Minutes
- Place Hoche in Rennes city center has become one of the most popular spots for skateboarders.
- This does not please residents who have complained for two years about noise pollution.
- To ease tensions, the municipality has decided to supervise the practice in the square by setting days and times when skateboarding is allowed.
Like almost every day after class, Théo and Thomas meet their friends on Place Hoche, in Rennes, for a little skate session. For some time now, the place has become one of the favorite spots for board sports enthusiasts in the Breton capital. “There are skateparks in town but we prefer the practice of street, says Théo. For that, Place Hoche is perfect because the ground is smooth and rolling and there is a good atmosphere ”.
A little too much for the residents. The skate site in Rennes, which lists all the snow sports spots in Rennes, thus alerts skaters to the fact that the spot at Place Hoche, “the downtown spot”, is in the middle of homes and that “noise can disturb”. The beginning of the tensions dates back to the summer of 2019 when a giant bench proposed as part of the participatory budget was installed on the square. Skateboarders then took up their habits there, meeting in large numbers (up to fifty at the same time, according to city counts) and late at night.
Prohibition of skating on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
Local residents and traders then saw red, regularly complaining of noise pollution. “It’s hellish the noise of the boards slamming on the ground so imagine when there are several dozen”, complains one of the booksellers in the place. Seeing the situation escalate despite municipal police patrols, the Rennes municipality put everyone around the table a year ago.
This mediation work has just resulted in new rules in force for a few days. A municipal decree thus regulates the practice of skateboarding which is now only authorized on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Place Hoche. Outside of these hours, skaters are liable to a fine of 11 euros. But nothing to dissuade Thomas. “If we have to pay the fine, well we will. But that will not make us move from place ”, indicates the high school student, still little aware of the authorized days or not despite the panel installed in the middle of the place.
Some residents would like to ban skateboarding at Place Hoche
To supervise the practice and also protect the bench, the city of Rennes has also planned improvements. “The lighting will be lowered thanks to the use of LEDs and a study will be carried out for rolling coverings and noise absorbers”, she specifies.
While some residents welcome this tightening of the screws, others believe that it is still insufficient. “There are other places in Rennes where there are no shops and where they can skate,” says our bookseller. But here it is incompatible with the activity of the place, it is impossible to cohabit ”. By cutting the pear in half, the city is therefore playing the card of appeasement between residents and skateboarders. Now it’s up to everyone to do their own thing.