REVIVE THE RIVER

Vaires-sur-Marne was once a choice location to go swimming and for weekend trips. Along the edges of the Marne river, a pool was made to allow children to splash around with a nearby diving board for older children to dive into the river. By the riverbank, a red brick building gave swimmers a place to change before diving into the water. Since then, the pool has been replaced, the diving board dismantled and the dressing rooms are gone, except for some remains. Yet the Marne's banks remain as a place for leisure activities : going for a walk,, a meetup area for families and friends. During summer, the banks still host organised events by the council and other more informal organisations. With the changing rooms as witnesses to the history of the area, the main building and the surrounding red bricked cabins desire and call for a renewed life on the banks of the river… Regarding the optics of breathing life once again to this historic site, the town is involved in turning the old changing rooms into a dedicated area for activities near or in the river. An open air cafe, an information centre, a meeting area, a living area which respects the environment, all this remains to be built. This project will lay the foundation to a future dedicated area for those who seek to enjoy the river. Yet besides the old changing rooms, the Marne and its surroundings are natural areas which must be cherished and protected. Environmental conservation and eco friendly behaviours represent attitudes and behaviours that the local population must be aware of. In this project, you will have the opportunity to commence the first renovation works of the old changing rooms, lead environmental conservation efforts alongside the Marne and to participate in the organising of convivial and festive events.