Fronde against a construction project in Macolin (BE)
A new building to house and train the army’s elite athletes? Out of question for the 689 people, who signed the petition entitled “No to the tower in Macolin” delivered this Thursday.
A collective of citizens has submitted a petition to the OFSPO against the construction of a building in Macolin.
Keystone-ATS/Stéphane Hofmann
The project to construct a building for the accommodation and training of elite army athletes in Macolin, above Biel, aroused the dissatisfaction of part of the population. A petition with 689 signatures entitled “No to the tower in Macolin” was submitted to the Federal Office of Sport (OFSPO) on Thursday.
Opponents denounce in particular the volume of the building which will be 23.8 meters high. They believe that this construction does not fit into the landscape of Macolin. The hill where this building is to be erected would, according to them, be disfigured and the construction visible from afar.
“We don’t want this huge building on this meadow”, explains Beatrice Vogt on behalf of the petitioning committee. The signatories do not oppose the construction of such a building, but not in this place. The committee believes that the project could see the light of day, for example, in one of the OFSPO car parks.
In general, the petitioners fear that the Federal High School for Sport, attached to the Federal Department of Defence, Protection and Sport (DDPS), will extend to this hill overlooking the City of Biel.
Increase in the number of recruits
The project led by the Confederation provides for the construction of a building opposite the exit of the funicular offering 140 beds and classrooms. This infrastructure must respond to the increase in the number of recruits within the framework of the elite sports program of the army. The National Council approved a contribution of 27 million francs for this project.
The date for the start of work on this building called to house the elite sportsmen of the army is not known. They should have started in mid-2022, but were delayed for administrative reasons.
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