The mayor of Angers will fight uncivilities of inhabitants

The behavior of some Angers inhabitants and some urban projects have been on the menu of the tchat which took place on May the 23rd with the mayor. Regarding the unsecurity in town, Jean-Claude Antonini admits the issue "is something worrying" whose origins are "uncivilities, gatherings, exponential alcoholic consumtion among young people almost". Face to that phenomena, town hall plans to set again "a proximity police".

Questioned about the cleanliness of the town, the mayor made an appeal to the chewing-gum spitters "who damage definitely the cobblestones. That must change", he warned. It is the same with unappropriatie parked cars which "will not be longer tolerated", he said "The vehicles in the way of the trolley will go to car pound".

Several urban projects would be underway. First a new congress center because the one doesn't fit any longer to the demand of the users. That future center will be located near Le Quai Theatre. Mr Antonini foresees "an enormous popular pressure" for the opening of a second trolley line and talk about a partial implementation of it but didn't precise when. And the mayor is aware of the "insufficient reputation" of Angers at the "international, national and local scale" and announced initiatives to associate "in the weeks to come" the inhabitants around a best fame for their city.

Angers' nostalgics applaud Laurent Gerra

The humorist and imitator Laurent Gerra was of representation on may the 25th in Angers and had undoubtedly convinced an audience acquired to his facecious remarks regarding France's political life. The Strauss-Kahn case was really for him a Godsend but he didn't, not so widely as expected, take advantage of it, emphazising a gallery of portraits, applaused by the audience. The may be only shadow is his trend to stay quite often below the belt, a trend nevertheless largely appreciated by the Angers spectators.

Wikipedia

But, an interesting aspect was the second part of the show, very different from the first. Having been called back by the audience, Laurent Gerra depincted several famous French singers of the past. Charles Trenet, Serge Reggiani, Yves Montant or Henri Salvador and Léo Ferré are all dead. But, even if their records are still sold in France, their imitation by Laurent gerra was a kind of resurrection praised by the Angevins.

Most of them knew these celebrities returned to life thanks to Gerra. That come back was at the same time a return to the past for the public, a come back to a time France had a more important status than today and was not unblemished by a drop of its rank. The ending was so a little bit melancolic, as France present mood.

The connection of Angers to Europe through Paris back on tracks

The council of the Angers Loire Métropole authority has examined on May the 10th a railway project completely opposed to the refusal expressed by some of the Angers and Maine-et-Loire politicians of the 90's regarding the development of a high speed line between Angers and Paris. For the first time, Angers is thinking about the interest of improving its connection to the capital thanks to a networking track. That debate close the inept point of view who won formerly : "Why to spend  10 billions (francs) to win 10 minutes?"...

In fact, what is at stake is not only the shortening of the travels between Angers and Paris but the connection between Angers, through Paris, to main european cities like Munich, Madrid of Brussels and, from there, Amsterdam or London... Angers clearly wants now to be connected with the economical centers of Western Europe. But that will not be real before 2020.

Presently the Alm authority says, "Presently, the traffic between Massy and Valenton railways stations use the tracks of the Great Bel, which is used too by the fret trains and the RER. The track is saturated, the lateness are frequent and the speed limited to 70 km per hour"... So is there another choice ?

The new Angers Loire Valley brand has a lot of work ahead

"Often dubbed "Black Angers" due the murky stone and dark slate used in its buildings the riverside city is the eastern gateway to the Loire valley"... In this excerpt from "Discover France" edited by Lonely planet and brought by Us tourists, the city is not particularly emphasized. If it seems that the positioning of the new brand Angers Loire Valley is appropriated, because Angers is clearly linked to the Loire universe, the city of its own has a lot of progress to do to attract people from abroad.

The main points of interest of the city, described in a guide regarding France are the "Angers brooding black- stone chateau" which gives the impression of hostile and abandoned monument, the Tenture de l'Apocalypse which "recounts the story of the day of judgment from start to finish" and, after the David d'Angers gallery, the "Maisons des vins de l'Anjou for   the lowdown on local vintages and tips on where to buy Anjou and Loire wines". And the picture of the page is on a Fontevraud abbey dilapidated gallery... 


It could be more uselful for Angers to look on what is written abroad to the city than answering a umpteenth time its own inhabitants about the assets of their town, because there is some progress to do.

Artaq back in Angers streets on May

The second edition of the international festival Artaq, a cultural event dedicated to urban arts, will come back in Angers between may the 27 and 29. More than 120 artists will present their works in different places of the city. Precisely, those works are part of the street arts. Considered as a vandal graphic expression, the street arts (paintings, sculptures, lightgraffes, pictures, video...) start to enter the museums as well as the galleries.

The Chabada discotheque will welcome the launching of the event on may the 26th. Then, Artaq will take place on Ralliement square where it will re-design the cabin of a truck and the frontage of the Nouvelles Galeries, while two street artists will compete at the Grand Theâtre. Another exhibition will be hosted (till the end of september) at Chemellier hall which will have its front entirely re-looked. And a giant fresco will be drawn at Saint-Serge University during a night exhibition. Others displays will be seen in Ronceray Abbey and in city hall. A workshop on slogan will welcome the public at the Jean-Vilar center at La Roseraie district.

Credit Pictures : Angers city

The 2011 edition of the Artaq festival will gather works coming from many parts of the world (USA, Spain, Peru, France or Japan) and, through that, will may be discover new talented artists.

The title of conferences presenting the new urbanistic local foresees the future face of the town

The presentation to Angers inhabitants of the new urbanistic local plan to the districts of Angers from may the 20th to june the 17th gives an idea of the vision of town hall has about the future face of the city on 2025. Four conferences between town councillors and inhabitants will explore two issues : "Environment : is it possible to conciliate nature and urbanism?" and "Housing : after water, electricity, is it possible to save up space?".

The first intention of the city representatives could consist in designing the town as a landscape. And some projects, present or future, like the street car line and the Maine banks reconquest, which have in common to open new visual perspectives, could be indications of this direction. That would be necessary because the second aim of Angers and surroundings cities is to save up space. If, during the 50 last years, the surfaces of built areas have widely increased, this trend turns out to be costly for the public authorities which have to organize the transportations of peoples and goods.
 
While housing becomes in France an acute problem, Angers thinks the opportunities for coming people to find a home is an asset for the city. So the rythm of buildings will not end soon.

The help of a new Angers committee of DSK's supporters could be much more needed than foreseen

Credit picture Wikipedia

A few days before the Dominique Strauss Kahn's case erupted in the world press, several Angers politicians had sep up a committee aimed at the promotion of DSK candidacy to the French presidential elections. Their desire was, or may be always is, to invite Angers inhabitants to convince the former minister, and still head of the International monetary fund, to be candidate in 2012. According to many medias, French or from abroad, the probabilities of a DSK candidacy for the France presidential elections are scarce, even if the French former minister is acquicted of his charges.

The facts occured last week dismantle absolutely the belief of the Angers DSK supporters. These claimed : "if the PS doesn't choice Strauss Kahn, it goes directly in the wall. DSK is the best candidate to introduce the project of,the left at the first and second rounds". May be that party has another point of view today. Nevertheless, in front of difficult times in weeks and monts, it is possible DSK, guilty or innocent, will desperately need support. And the Angers committe will have the opportunities to demontrate him its friendship.

Towhall wants the Angers participants to the Music Day be sensitive to the cleanliness of the event

According to informations published on its website, Angers townhall will monitor that the 2011 edition of the Music Day, due to take place on the first day of the summer, june 21st, be an event concerned by citizenship. "The music day is an opportunity to be part of an eco-event", points out the city.

An Association for the respect of environment during sporting and cultural events will teach to participants how to sort the waste materials used during such evenings : plastic glasses, bottles, cans, etc... Townhall, writing that the association is available to help people to sort their wastes "even out of their home", points out the behaviour of inhabitants regarding the preservation of environment is very different regarding private and public places.

Garbage cans will be set up by the city in the streets near the places the musicians will perform. If ecological concerns are ahead of the reasons invoked by towhall, economic reasons should have their legitimacy too. But are the inhabitants sensitive to the townhall arguments at the end of that very festive event?

The easy success of Angers Vélocité

Angers Vélocité has just opened a new agency to rent bikes. According to some local medias, that confirm the success of the formula of rented bikes implemented in Angers city since 2004. But is such a success surprising with the conditions set by town hall for the customers?

In fact, due to the scare duties of those, the development of Vélocité is quite logic. Every person living in Angers, definitely or temporarlly, tax contributor or not, may get a bike. There is no deposit to do. The candidate has only to sign a contrat for renting the bike for a four month period renewable twice. If the bike is damaged, the users has to foot the bill. But how the city get the money if the biker has gone from Angers, in France or abroad?

Credit picture Angers City

No data about the cost for the city of that formula have been published yet. Six hundred new bikes will be available at the Belle-Beille agency (3 000 in Angers). In some public meetings of Angers districts people complain that the main beneficiaries of Vélocité bikes are students. A new formula has recently been offered to visitors in Angers. But with that one, the rent of a bike for less thant a day is charged while the rent of a bike for a year is free. Is that wise?

High speed line Angers -Paris : the mistakes always resurface

A twenty years old debate about the opportunity to finance a high speed railway line between Angers and Le Mans resurfaced recently. It was said on the web that Angers city would have to pay more than 3 millions euros for an additionnal line of 4 km linking Sablé-sur-Sarthe to the high speed line Le Mans-Rennes. Three millions euros are 10% of the overall cost of the 4 km line.

Twenty years ago, the Maine-et-Loire politicians refused the Sncf to develop such a railway connection arguing it was not reasonable to pay 10 millions francs (and not euros, and not from Angers'purse) for the development of a line dedicated to the Tgv between Angers and Le Mans which would have allowed to shorten of about 10 mn the travel between Angers and Paris...

At the opposite of the former politicians of the 90's, the present generation thinks that well above the gain in time, what is at stake is the connection of Angers to the European railways net. The fact Angers wish to be connected to the high speed line Rennes-Paris gives an idea of the tremendous mistake of the former politicians generation who thought 20 years ago to their own tranquility instead of the future competitiveness of the Angers province in the XXI century.

Angers city shoukd organize a sporting event on the Maine river as it already planned others for runners and bikers

Angers want its inhabitants to move. Two events planned in May illustrate the desire of the city to lead the people take the place of cars, at least for a while. The change came about 25 years ago with the implementation in downtown of pedestrian streets. With the arrival of the streetcar, a symbolic space of Angers will be now prohibited to cars : the Ralliement square, the core of the city.

Few by few, the pedestrians and bikes are gaining ground and the events planned in May are symbolic of that. There was the first bike party, on May the 14th. Angers wants to help the people to renew links with bike use arguing it's good for planet and good for wallet... And, on May the 29th, the city organizes

for the second time urban races on the two banks of the Maine along 26 km, some of them exceptionnaly accessible to runners.

Pedestrians and bikers will be on the forefront and that's good. But is it sufficient? If towhall wants to reunify the city, it should organize an event on its main, and more ancient, way of communications : the Maine river. In order to attract people a competition of rowing could take place there, as Oxford and Cambrige universities compete every year. That's moreover could give sense to the new brand Angers Loire Valley because Maine and Loire are close each from the other. And it would be so British...

(Credit picture Angers Nautique Aviron)

The bike web Bicipalma could inspire Angers city'

While the campaign for the municipal elections has started in Baleares as well as in Spain, the development of non polluting transportation systems is part of the debate. The evolutions of the use of bikes in Palma de Mallorca suggested by the candidates of the socialist party yesterday may the 12th may occur in other cities like Angers.

The goal of the left team running for elections is to install bike parks in all the districts of the city. There are presently 15 and the goal is to create 28. If, originally, the red was limited to downtown Palma, it has been extended gradually to the first round of suburbs and now will go till the second round of them.

Bicipalma, the name of the municipal red of bikes created in 2004, hopes to become financially profitable thanks to the increase of users, who will have to pay fees (the system is free in Angers), and the ads (on the bikes?).
 

Moreover, the use of municipal bikes will be enlarged to tourists later. Presently, it is just available to Palma inhabitants. Bicipalma has 7 000 users and 7 500 inhabitants are on a waiting list.

Like Angers, bikes and street car are on the agenda of Palma de Mallorca city

As Angers, the city of Palma de Mallorca wants to extend the use of bikes within its limits. The system of renting bike is here a little bit different. Part of,the policy aims at car drivers. In several car parks, drivers (who park their car there) and the persons who are with them can get a bike during the parking time. Hay bikes for men, women and children and it is possible to rent a helmet or a baby seat.

Palma implemented the service at a low level in 2004 but it was a success and the city decided to extend its offer in several other car parks. Now the city has developed a lot of bikes parks and almost created a lot of ways dedicated to bikers. The main difference with Angers is each way is a double lane. So the construction of such ways could be less costly.

Probably one of the main difficulties of that policy is : the weather. The temperatures are hot in summer so it could make the use of bike less attractive. But, like many other cities, Palma must reconsider the part of the car. Apart from bike, Palma plans to implement a street car line. But that,scheme is costly and nowadays, cities in Spain tend to limit expenses because the economic crisis made a lot of projects more difficult...

From "Here we go" to Irigo, the new look of Angers bus web

The Angers public transports system is about to get over an important stage of its development. One one side, the street car line will run from now at normal speed but without passengers till the 25th of june. On the other hand, the bus web has announced today its new lines, schedules and name : Irigo. Irigo is a shortened word coming from the English popular expression "Here we go".

Regarding the street car, the change will be for the others users of public ways : drivers, bikers and pedestrians. The street car wil have absolute priority over the others menans of locomotion. That new mode of transportation has influenced the older one : the buses whose lines will be more rectilinear than before in order to win time. And time is money... The schedules have been widened and the rhythms are faster.




With Irigo, Angers public authorities expand the uses of English words. Recently, the brand Angers Loire Valley was introduced by the mayor in front of an audience of public and private decision-makers of the city. And no critics was expressed. But many others initiatives in Angers boost the use of English in the city like VeriFraich, the brand of a new fast food located on Foch boulevard. If the city wants to differentiate from others, the expanded use of English could be a way. So, here we go!

Celebration of the Europe birthdate at Angers Ra"Lizt"ment square

After months, even years, of works, Ralliement square found again a serene atmosphere for the national animation "Play Liszt" (written in English on the Angers city website) on May 9th, which is the contribution of music to the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the European union birth. Freed from smoke, dust, noise and vibrations, the central square of Angers lived a moment of grace thank to pupils of the Angers conservatoire of music who played works of the Hungarian composer whose fame was extended all lver the countries constituting now the Europen Union.


If the Ralliement square has been criticized for its mineral aspect, that coukd be an unwaited advantage for futures animations. Surrounded by buildings and covered with large cobblestones, the square constitute a sound box where notes are perfectly heard. Morevover, the sweet slope of the square allows installations of bleachers for future audiences.

The only flaw of such an initiative was its schedule. A concert staging from 4.30 pm to 8.00 pm is a little bit early because many people are still working. It could have been appropriate to put some seats. Their absence coukd explain the scarcity of the audience. But the music of Lizt was in harmony with the architecture of the theater, the Nouvelles Galeries or the Brasserie du théâtre. With the next babbling of the fountains and the rustle of the wind in the trees, the Ralliement square could be the perfect place for cultural evenings.

Schedules of universitarian libraries and restaurants do not fit to the needs of students

While many students are preparing their final exams of May and June, all the universitarian libraries of Angers are closed on sundays. Nevertheless, the schedules of these libraries are quite large. In Angers, the Belle-Beille library, dedicated to litterature and sciences is opened from mondy to saturday and close at night at 20 h 30. And the Saint-Serge library, accessible on the same days closes from monday to tuesday at 22 h 30. These schedules would be larger than many others equipments in France. But is that sufficient?

And what about the four universitarian restaurants? The Belle-Beille, the Gabare (Near the law campus), the medecine and the Beaux- Arts are opened from monday to friday (the Gabare is open on saturday midday) but all are closed on sundays. So how do the students do for work and eat?
In England, universitarian libraries are frequently opened on sundays and are accessible during a part of the night. If Angers university want to differenciate from other campus, it could wisely reconsider some of its old rules.

The same observation is valuable for the transportation network between the Belle-Beille campus and Angzrs down town and many students complain that this line shuts too early while many others are closed on sunday. While the students counts for more than 10% of the Angers populatin, the city and its universty should agree on better services to their students.

Cathodic inquiries in Angers city

Credit wikipédia

Inhabitants of Angers who have a tv set and don't declare it to the services of public treasury may receive the visit of inspectors, wrote Angers town hall in a press release published on May 5th. The persons in charge of these controls "are commissioned", that is to say they would receive additional money in case of discouvery of the owner of a tv set who didn't reported it to the tax services.

Of course, it's not fair to watch tv without paying the tax while others do so. But is a tax on tv something normal? Is the part of the state to finance tv programs while private initiative offers others? Why is there a tax on tv and not a tax on radio? An inquiry in private homes looks a little bit detrimental to private life.

Formerly, France had a tax on doors and windows. Established under the Directoire régime in 1798, the taxe disapeared in 1926. In fact, the present tax on tv set was created in 1980. It was a kind of resurrection of the tax on windows, which were cathodic. A cathodic resurrection...

The Angers Haut des Banchais Inhabitants Association climbs.. too high and gets vertigo

News Analysis. - Some Angers inhabitants may consider that, sometimes, the stances of people in charge of associations dedicated to the animations of the districts, exceed the mission of these structures. In its last issue distributed in all mailboxes of houses and buildings of the Haut des Banchais district, the chairman of one of these social authorities wrote an editorial which has nothing to see with with the purposes of the Association des habitants.

This text is nevertheless interesting because it points out two of the actual caracteristics of French collective mind. First of all, the desire to find scapegoats to the difficulties France faces today. And theses persons are, once again, the well-off : "The only law which prevails, those of the well-off". May be uncousciously, those unfuriated declarations leads to an opposition, and even a hate, among French people more worried by their internal disagreements that their collective challenges.

The second base of the editorial, visibly dearest to the French people harts, is the (preposterous) idea French are exceptional people : "We are and must remain this country of the Enlightenments, that land of asylum and welcome...". Is that mean that others countries are not enlighted or, at least, able to be so. And the last (wrong) idea of that editorial is French people have nothing to do to overcome : "In order to avoid that inexorable fall... no Everest to climb, just a realization to share". In other words, French have no work to do, no duties to fulfill. Their rights and ideas will prevail...

Angers town hall meets Grand Pigeon district

The Grand Pigeon district is on the agenda of several Angers town councillors for the traditionnal meetings with inhabitants. This area is one of the most redevelopped par the urban renovation policy implemented all over Angers during the last years. The central point of the district, the Chaptal tower has been entirely transformed and, at the bottom of it, a new building is on construction.


In front of the district, along the Deux-Croix boulevard, a little commercial center toppled by new flats has replaced a school. At the bottom of many buildings, small gardens have been laid out. The renovation of the district is not yet completed. Several constructions are underway and plots of lands will receive others. The face of the district could yet evolve with the (hypothetic) arrival of the streetcar second line.

Are the difficulties of Grand Pigeon disappeared? According to some inhabitants and workers in touch with the district, some occupants of some buildings woult like to go away because incivilities are coming back. In fact, the economic issues could remain at the top of the concern of the districts. Several meetings are planned with the town councillors from the 14 to the 18 of May, this one with the mayor of Angers.

The Angers twining policy in front of new hopes and challenges

The twining policy of Angers could evolve in the years to come. The mayor of the city announced at the lauching of the new brand "Angers Loire Valley" that Austin, the state capital of Texas, and Angers will soon sign a twining agreement. Thanks to closer links, Angers could enhance new parterships in cultural, economic, educational and environmental fields. If the Anjou town is able to help others less developped cities like Bamako, Angers has nevertheless interest to learn from counterparts and to widen its horizon.


Recently, the chairman of the Angers office of international cooperation pointed out that the mission of that authority had to change. "People don't need anymore our help to travel. We have to find out new issues to develop the twinings. We have to create new relationships with towns like Wigan, Haarlem, Pisa, Osnabruck or Bamako". Regarding Austin, the Office suggests "to associate young inhabitants of Angers to involve themselves in the project".


Apparently, the inhabitants would be sensitive to a strenghening of the twining policy. Many events in Angers city choice an anglicization of their names like the B2B race or the "Tout Angers bouge" race the city has called with the English word "trail". And the Angers municipal institute has had to offer new English courses because the demand of inhabiants. These look interested with what may enlarge their horizon.

Young Japanese pastry cookers in Angers and West to develop their skills

Chin, a Japanese student in French pastry came back in Angers where he got an internship in the store of a craftman, famous in that city, in France and even abroad. He stayed in the capital of Anjou for a year in 2010 and then went in Nantes where he completed his education in another cake shop. Having met the family where fellow citizens studying French at the Université catholique de l'Ouest were hosted, Chin decided to pay a visit.


One more time, he brought a cake with him. It was a tasteful citrus fruit pastry wrapped in a black chocolate skin topped with a macaron. Chin, 28 years old, is pastry cook in Japan and decided to develop his skills in what is at the same time a work and an art.


During a first period, he worked as a baker. He had long and very busy days, sometimes during the weekends and met there other trainees. After nearly a year, Chin joined another Nantes pastry cooker where he met others fellow citizens and that time dedicated all his hours to confection pastries.


Before leaving France, he will take time for a little visit of that country, in Lyon and Mojtpellier where he has friends and give to his hosts in Angers courses of macaron.

The Angers town hall communication looks concentrated on entertainments

News analysis.- Projects of animations were recently on the front of the stage at the Angers town hall. A few weeks afo, in the middle of April, the mayor announced the construction of a new swimming pool in the Saint-Aubin district due to run in 2013. A few days ago, another announcement refered to the inauguration, scheduled on June 25th of the first street car line and to the animations which will go with. And yesterday, town hall made public the programm of the next Accroches-Coeurs, due to take place on the first days of september.

All these events are surely welcomed by an important part of the population because, on the economic side, things are not going very well. For sure, the mayor of Angers and his team don't only dedicate themselves to the entertainment of the inhabitants. Of course, it's much more difficult to attract companies in Angers than before because the city must compete with dynamic territories in France and abroad. But the communication of Angers town hall should give more room to the economic issues, most of inhabitants neglect.

The new brand Angers Loire Valley cannot be limited to fun, leisures and happiness. In order to give meanming to that brand which attempt to pull the city and surroundings up, town hall must express more clearly that it deals with the economic difficulties Angers inhabitants face in labor life and through a declining purchasing power. Angers Loire Valley can't just be a Disney resort which, meanwhile, is one of the best managed company in the world.

Scarce demonstration in Angers for Labor Day

News analysis.- Where were the demonstrators in Angers on the 1st of May for the traditionnal Labor Day? According to saleswomen of lily of the valley along Foch boulevard, only a small march of a 400 hundreds persons went in the main street of Angers in order to constest the policy of French government or introduce new claims as it was usually the case in the past. Of course, the weather was not favourable to parade. The atmosphere was rainy and may be the collective mind was on the same mood... 

The visible reluctance to demonstrate reminds the last wave of abstentions for canton elections which took place at the end of march : 58% of registered voters didn't came to the polls. For local medias, that is meaningful of the decline of civism. Is that true?

Regarding the polls, the material conditions for voting are never at issue. Nevertheless, how can local politicians expect the involvment of people when these must stay at home in order to vote? While it's possible today to order services or goods thanks to internet wherever we are, why it is not the same thing for voting? Regarding the 1st of May, the workers refer to stay home if the weather is rainy. The trade unions as well the politicians should consider that voters of workers cann't be called for civics duties.

Angers at European time on May

Credit picture : http://www.angers.fr/international

The celebrations Angers city hall has planned on the 9th May should get the interest of the inhabitants if one consider the sales of the by-products originated by the English royal wedding and the fact Angers citizens, as well as French, didn't pay attention to "the last and the least" elections for canton's councillors which took place about a month ago in their own country. The actual power of every single country in Europe to deal with the economic and social consequences of the US financial crisis may lead people to grant time to the efforts the city did to move closer the European Union and the Angers inhabitants.


Exhibitions, animations or conferences will be accessible during all next month all over the city. Among the exhibitions, an original initiative consist in a gallery of Portraits of Angers inhabitants coming native of different European countries. The city for example hosted many families immigrated from Italia who created, some of them with great success, building companies.

Credit picture : http://www.maisondeleurope49.eu/

Angers city tries, once more, to make European Union more familiar to ordinary citizens by concentrating some of the events in a district. It will be Belle-Beille's turn in 2011 after Monplaisir in 2010. The issue of Europe will be unveiled from very differents aspects. One of them will be music : a concert will take place on Ralliement square on 9th May about Lizt, a Hungarian composer who during the XIXTh century promoted musicians of many others European countries.