An untenable situation. As the Vert Marine company announced on Monday the sudden closure of 30 municipal swimming pools it manages, its boss Jean-Pascal Gleizes explained why he had to make this unpopular decision.
The Vert Marine company, which employs 2,000 people, manages 80 swimming pools in local communities, including those in Limoges, Versailles, Granville, Montauban and Nîmes. Energy costs represent on average 20% of the company’s billing. With the current cost overrun, the company’s employer estimates that 100% of the billing would be absorbed by electricity or gas bills.
Service responsibility but also social responsibility
A decision that is difficult to approve with certain communities. This is the case of Limoges where the metropolis says it is “taken hostage” and would be willing to go to court if Vert Marine does not reopen the Aquapolis nautical center in the coming days.
This Tuesday, the Government recalled that municipal swimming pools could obtain state aid to pay their energy bills. This summer an endowment of 500 million euros was voted to help with the energy and restoration bills of the communities.
Source: BFM TV
