A few shards of concrete escaped from the roof in October, forcing the city of Rennes to close the Saint-Georges swimming pool for six days. Classified as historical monuments, the basin designed by the architect Emmanuel Leray and decorated by the family of mosaicists Odorico has suffered from the weight of the years. Inaugurated in 1926, the beautiful swimming pool will have to be the subject of a major repair project.
Conducted at the end of 2021 by the city, the heritage and technical diagnosis delivered unexpected conclusions. According to specialized design offices and the Buildings of France services, the cost of the work should be 19 million euros. By adding the costs related to studies and project management, the bill should even climb to 25 million.
This amount which roughly corresponds to the construction of the future aquatic center of Villejean or to the investment made by Saint-Malo Agglo to afford an aquafun center. Why is construction so expensive? Because the building is listed, of course. But first because the work is colossal. According to the municipality, it will be necessary to take over the entire framework, redo all the basins, take care of the thermal insulation and change all the heating installations.
Opposition municipal councilor Carole Gandon had also castigated “the municipality’s lack of anticipation and interest in the real state of this swimming pool”. The elected official fears that the renovation will not be effective before the end of Nathalie Appéré’s mandate in 2026. The municipality recalls “the difficult financial context for local authorities” in particular concerning the cost of energy. And it is said that swimming pools consume a lot of it.