François Accusano park, a green lung and place of remembrance
The City has inaugurated François Accusano park, a major ecological space created on a former parking lot.
On May 23, La Garde turned an important page in its urban and memorial history by inaugurating the François Accusano park. In the presence of many political figures, including Senator Françoise Dumont, the Vice-President of the Région Sud François de Canson, the President of the Département Jean-Louis Masson, the President of the TPM metropolis Josée Massi and Franck Chouquet, Deputy Mayor of La Garde, this event marked the culmination of an ambitious project, transforming a vast impermeable parking lot and an aging stadium into a true green lung in the heart of the city.
"This project was not born out of improvisation, it is the result of an urban and environmental vision that we have supported for a long time," stressed Hélène Arnaud-Bill, the Mayor of La Garde during her inaugural speech.
The park is part of the continuity of the green corridor, creating a direct link between the city center and the Espace Nature Départemental.
The mayor added: "On this completely redesigned site, more than 26,000 plants and Mediterranean species with low water requirements have been planted. Relaxation areas, games for children and adults, as well as gentle pathways for pedestrians and cyclists complete the layout.
The project also integrates mobility issues with the creation of a multi-storey car park of more than 200 spaces and an additional car park of 30 spaces.
The whole area now offers a remarkable view of the Rocher du vieux bourg, reconnecting the city to its historical landscape."
have already received recognition far beyond municipal borders. The operation was labeled "Solution Fondée sur la Nature" by the State on March 11, under the Plan Eau, for its positive impact on human health.
It was also selected at the scale of the Rhône-Méditerranéen basin under the "Plan de Bassin d'Adaptation au Changement Climatique 2024-2030".
"These national distinctions confirm the scope of a development that reconciles urban planning and climate challenges. The project also obtained the "Quartier Durable Méditerranéen" silver level label during the design phase, with the ambition of reaching the gold level during the implementation phase.
Building on this success, the project will be presented in the magazine "Sauvons l'Eau" and at the Forum Eau et Climat in Lyon.
The city services will also be invited to share their approach during a conference organized by the CEREMA (Centre d'études et d'expertise sur les risques, l'environnement, la mobilité et l'aménagement)," Hélène Arnaud-Bill insisted.
URBAN AMBITION Far from being a simple landscaping creation, this new space is the result of a strategic vision registered as early as 2020 in the Plan Local d'Urbanisme. The objective is to de-impermeabilize a flood zone to restore its ecological and human function.
HOMAGE TO A RESISTANCE FIGHTER Beyond its environmental dimension, the park is a powerful place of remembrance. Its name is a tribute to François Accusano, a figure from La Garde of the Résistance.
"He belonged to that generation of men and women who placed freedom above their own lives. By giving his name to this park, we are not only looking at the past, we are transmitting a memory and reminding the youngest that cities are also built with values," declared the mayor, in the presence of the resistance fighter's family.
The highlight of this emotion-filled ceremony, François Accusano was elevated to the rank of Citoyen d'Honneur de la Ville, posthumously, with the award of the Or level.
The medal was presented to his family, thus sealing the municipality's commitment to honoring those who shaped its history.
Hélène Arnaud-Bill concluded on a note of hope: "When in a few years the trees have grown, when today's children return here as adults, then we will know that we were right to think of the city over the long term."
Photos PRESSE AGENCE.