VIDEO. "The state of the ground was appalling": €112,000 of work to renovate the Marmande skate park

After more than two months of closure, the Filhole site is expected to reopen to users on September 18. What changes will there be? The City and the Roue'tine association respond

Painting , maintenance, boilermaking... There are around ten municipal agents mobilized to reinstall the skate-park modules, since Monday, September 8, so that everything is ready for the reopening of the premises, announced on the 18th. The barriers have prevented riders from entering their lair since the end of the ^29th edition of Garorock at Filhole, on July 6. So inevitably, two months later, expectations are high on the part of BMX, scooter, rollerblade or skateboard practitioners , to find their playground again. Or for the old ones who had deserted it.

"I hadn't been back for ten years because of the appalling state of the surface. The renovation was more than essential," says Mathieu Paris, a skateboarder from Marmande. As the end of the work approaches, the new site is being redesigned. But already, the first photos of the completion of the project, published on social media, have left some asphalt users doubtful. "Why change the surface and not the modules?" asks one internet user.

The answer is simply financial. "If we had opted for a bowl or concrete modules, the cost would not have been the same," argue the municipality and the Roue'tine association, which have been working together on this new complex for over four years. This means nearly €300,000 in addition to the €112,000 allocated by the City for the renovation of this urban sports facility.

With this space, we will gain in security."

"The biggest disappointment for the participants was the rough ground, the granular asphalt that was unsuitable for sliding. With this smooth concrete surface, they will have more fun," predicts Alexandre Primault, president of the Roue'tine club. The other major part of the work concerns the extension of the site, which will benefit from an additional 110 ^m² , dedicated to a development area for young children or beginners in sliding.

This section received a €9,000 grant from the National Sports Agency (ANS). This is where the lessons will be held. "With this space, we'll improve safety. The idea was also to bring the existing modules together to reduce the speed loss for the more experienced skaters on the other side," explains Alexandre Primault. With this addition, the skate park will now be around ^1,200m² in area.

"In addition to the 12 modules that have been returned to their original location, four new smaller modules will be installed. In addition to the €98,000 budget, €5,000 to €6,000 worth of plywood had to be added, to be replaced later this month," says Philippe Peso, director of the city's sports department. "This is the first phase of a process that will continue with the association," insists Jean-Claude Feyrit, special delegate councilor for sports associations. "The investment is significant, but it's worth it."