TRIBUNE – Located rue Denoyez in Belleville, the Alfred Nakache sports center hosts the activities of several neighborhood associations. Thirteen of them announced that they were being “dislodged” from a room and launched a petition, in particular to save the dance room. We give them the floor.
“Several decisions seem to move in the direction of a gradual appropriation of the sports center by the AJA PARIS XX in its use. The recently announced destruction of the last dance hall in favor of the extension of a dojo will make the Nakache center a place dedicated exclusively to combat sports, particularly at a very high level, which is not its primary vocation.
Thirteen sports associations to whom the town hall of the 20th arrondissement issued temporary occupation authorizations (AOT) were informed on March 15, 2024 by email that the commitments would not be kept. Members and residents are mobilizing to try to save the room, but also to denounce management practices of the place that are opaque, to say the least.
At the request of the associations, they were received on March 28 at the town hall of the 20th district by Mr. Epency Epara Epara, deputy for sport and sports practices, Mr. Coudreau, director of the DJS of the 20th district, and Mr. Anthony Bouttier, assistant to the head from constituency 20 sports life advisor, but they received no clear answer to their questions, nor any written commitment in terms of rehousing.
Local democracy undermined
For the record: the construction of the Nakache sports center was obtained following a mobilization of neighborhood residents initially demanding a swimming pool. During a neighborhood council in 2007 in the presence of the mayor of the 20th arrondissement, Michel Charzat, Valérie de Brem, general director of Youth and Sports for the city of Paris, specified the future contours of the center providing for four sports halls: two dedicated halls municipal fitness classes; two “multi-sports” rooms for associations or schools. The objective was to expand and diversify the local sports offering in a popular and multicultural neighborhood. The multi-purpose municipal sports center inaugurated in 2009 by the Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë already included a dojo.
In the current organization of the establishment, there are now two dojos, a weight room for use by AJA PARIS XX and a multi-purpose dance room (120 m2). The announced destruction of the latter in favor of the extension of the adjoining dojo (150 m² before work) is part of the national program launched on the occasion of the Olympic Games: “5000 Equipment – Generation 2024”, more precisely, in the “1000 dojos” component deployed by the National Judo Federation. This development is for the benefit of AJA PARIS XX, whose office is already located at the Nakache center. The “1000 dojos” label will guarantee this high-level club exclusive and free use of this floor for at least ten years. If the dance hall is destroyed, the multipurpose sports center adapted to the diversity of the neighborhood will therefore become a center equipped only with dojos and dominated by a competitive judo club with national and international influence..
By whom and at what level of responsibility was this decision taken? There was:
– neither consultation of residents, nor consultation with neighborhood councils;
– nor vote in the municipal council according to the response of the Deputy for sport and sports practices at the meeting of March 28;
– no prior warning to associations;
– no communication to date on the commitments with a social dimension made by AJA PARIS XX to school and amateur audiences in exchange for the creation of a so-called “solidarity” dojo.
Irregularities in the creation of a “solidarity dojo”
The dance hall was proposed to the National Judo Federation as being eligible as part of the “1000 dojos” project which aims to create dojos so-called “solidarity” in “white areas” of the national territory, where the practice of judo is little developed, or even in “priority neighborhoods of city policy” (QPV).
However, in the development project for the second floor of the Nakache center, on the one hand it is not a question of creation, but ofextension of an existing dojo. On the other hand, it seems very difficult to speak of “white zones” with regard to an establishment which already provides two dojos at the disposal of the AJA PARIS XX and with regard to the 20th arrondissement which, although under-equipped with sports equipment , has eleven clubs affiliated to the French Judo Federation. Furthermore, how would the fact that Belleville is a priority district justify an over-representation in the same municipal center at the multi-purpose start of a martial sporting discipline, more practiced by men as we advance in age and level?
On the “1000 dojos” site, it is finally specified as first eligibility criterion that proposed premises must be vacant. This is not the case for the dance hall threatened with destruction: in the email addressed to the associations, the subject of which is: “Alfred Nakache / Work to expand the 2nd floor dojo – removal of the dance hall”, it is question of their “rehousing”.
A local associative fabric threatened with disappearance
The survival of the thirteen expelled associations depends partly or totally on maintaining their activities in this place. In fact, many have been involved with the Nakache center since its opening and have, over the years, not only succeeded in building the loyalty of a local audience for various sporting and artistic activities (fencing, tai chi, contemporary dance, oriental dance, African dance, yoga , hip hop, floor barre, gym and fitness for seniors, Berber dance, relaxation, prenatal dance, mom/baby gym) but also deployed for some of the actions towards schools.
These are small structures already destabilized by the recent health crisis, without any financial partner, which do not easily benefit from subsidies and which cannot afford to rent private dance rooms in Paris (40 euros from the approximately hour). The issuance of a temporary occupation authorization (AOT) at the Nakache municipal center gives them access to high-quality premises at a cost of less than 2 euros per hour. Conversely, AJA PARIS XX is a competition club affiliated with the National Judo Federation which, as such, has numerous financial partners and easy access to subsidies.
Despite the March 28 meeting at town hall, many questions remain unanswered.
In a district that is under-equipped with sports facilities in relation to its population, why destroy a functional and busy hall? On what basis was it estimated that the population of the 20th arrondissement in all its diversity would be particularly demanding training in combat sports and in particular judo?
Why choose AJA PARIS XX among the eleven judo associations in the district as a beneficiary of the “1000 dojos” solidarity program, when it is largely a very high level club? Why doesn’t AJA PARIS XX invest in the new dojo recently opened in Les Amandiers or even a vacant place in a part of the district where the judo offering is less? What is the nature of the agreement signed between this association and the district town hall? On what criteria was Eiffage chosen to carry out the announced work? How does a dojo of international size (270 m² after work) meet the needs of amateur, school or extracurricular practitioners?”
Thank you for reading this article to the end. To support this citizen mobilization: Petition: Let’s save the dance hall of the Alfred Nache Center in Paris! (mesopinions.com)
Photo: Sébastien Billoud. On March 27, the associations demonstrated their anger in front of the Parisian sports center.
>> Want to express yourself about the 20th arrondissement? You can send us your texts by email to [email protected]
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2024-04-11 23:16:39
#privatization #Alfred #Nakache #municipal #center #20th
