He will criss-cross the roads of the Bouches-du-Rhône so that the children can familiarize themselves with the water and the basics of swimming. The County Council’s swimming pool truck begins its tour by six weeks in Auriol. It arrived this Saturday. A test phase to see if it attracts the crowd. For the moment, 300 Auriolais of all ages are registered.
A small pool heated to 29°C
Inside the truck trailer, a pool 8 meters long and 2 meters wide. The bottom of the pool modulates between 0 and 1.20 meters. The water is heated to 29°C. In addition to the small swimming pool, a changing room and a technical room.
Lifeguards will lead several types of activities for babies, children and the elderly: swimming, aquahealth, and the fight against aquaphobia. “My daughter is enrolled in the summer camp, so she will go there for a week, an hour a day. She is lucky”, smiles Gina, mother of a 3-year-old girl. Usually, she does not take her children to the swimming pool, because there are none in Auriol. “The first swimming pool is in Aubagne, a dozen kilometers away, so our children cannot learn to swim”underlines the mayor of the town, Véronique Miquelly.
Basics to avoid drowning
This is the objective of this swimming pool truck: meet the locals Bouches-du-Rhône which do not have access to public swimming pools. “It’s a win-win for everyone, for our environment, for children and for parents”, explains Martine Vassal. The President of the Departmental Council wishes with this operation, to prevent drownings and domestic accidents as much as possible.