20 years ! Sad day The Rendezvous History
Var Matin, Thursday, March 7, 1991
MARTINENQ Patrick, director of economic affairs at City Hall, is the author of a reflection on construction sites and future of Marépolis. Evidence ...
Following our investigation of the end of the shipyards, the counterclaim of employees Martinenq Patrick, a graduate of Economics, director of the city's economic de La Seyne, historian, author of the remarkable book on the history of naval "place of the Moon "gives us his thoughts on the future of" Marépolis.
" past decade, the city of La Seyne-sur-Mer and generally, the Toulon area are adversely affected by the gradual disappearance industrial shipyards of Normed; today with the difficult issue of reuse of the 35 acre site. This divide in the history of our community takes place in a small town which today with its research partners institutional and economic, practical solutions to create sustainable new businesses, create jobs and diversified. Indeed we can not live only on the assets of a defunct company while contributing to any changes.
In this transitional stage, we live in anguish, waiting, interspersed with feelings of hope and strength, unconditional willingness to move the before. When the story starts, it disrupts the habits, it forces out of its reserves.
For over a century, the story revolves around Seynois shipbuilding, around a site, which over decades has greatly expanded while the city, gradually encircled the. The story is a source of knowledge. It does not repeat itself. But it allows, on its face, to bring an informed view on this, on the defining issue for months to come.
THE LESSONS OF HISTORY
Lesson:
us consider, with the courage, the dramatic nature of the 80 who saw the final closure of the shipyards. However, if this ruling has caused the end of relative prosperity, it also completes the end of a length of the city in a single industry for centuries. The tremendous economic growth for years 1967-1979 made us forget the chronic instability of the industry. Since their origin, the shipyards of La Seyne have experienced serious Crisis 1868, 1879, 1890, the long period between the wars, the slow recovery of the 50s and 1966.
So many depressions that nevertheless forged dependence of the city to the factory ship the item to blind us, push us to benefit in a monolithic economy. On our way we hibernations happy. Today, we must find a random situation, sometimes elusive.
Lesson Two:
Economic crises are also a time for questions. A La Seyne, each deep depression has generated considerable debate among local elites, especially economic development. It was to find ways to diversify the economy Seynois to leave the single industry. The local press of the time reflects the bitterness and the importance of the debates.
This happened between 1947-55 when the reconstruction of La Seyne destroyed 65% and in 1966 at the time of termination Activity Building Forges and the Mediterranean. But the restart of naval activities adjourned the good intentions and turned away any economic policy towards diversification.
Since shipyards remained the sole source of employment and wealth. Everything had been said. And for years, fashion and the galley! The imagination was so unnecessary, as well as reflection.
At that point the early '80s, the total enslavement of the city speaking badly in a fateful crisis. The town has given body and soul to shipbuilding, she was alone, the couple was broken when the city was paying a high price of addiction. Like a wall collapsing, the economic system was collapsing Seynois affecting every corner of local life.
Since 1988, the issue of diversification is back on the agenda, but this time with an economic wasteland in the heart of the city and whose value Industrial is lowest. What brings wealth and work? We have to think the hazard posed risks, in a word and think about rebuilding.
Lesson Three:
La Seyne passed the appointment of its history when it agreed to open its doors when the outside world He was recognized competence or qualifications to develop. In the life of our community, there has always been crucial meetings:
Thus in 1845, the shipyard's Quarter Moon becomes the industry after meeting Seynois master carpenter Lombard banker of Toulon Crassoux English engineer and Philip Taylor.
In 1852, Armand Behic, finance and industry nationwide, recognizes the value of the industrial site and create the Taylor Forge and the Building of the Mediterranean.
In 1967, the Franco-Belgian Herlicq following the industrial project of a team of engineers Seynois CNIM and launches.
When history accelerates, a local company that folds, which cowers, is in danger. Our city today is to stage encounters with the outside world and accept the opening.
It must banish protectionism of all kinds. This dual reality of openness and encounter is in the heart of the debate.
The single industry in recent decades the city had closed in on itself.
Now we must open the doors of the fortress and to seize the chance encounters. It is now being subtle, more vivid immobile, more intelligent than conservative.
MAP SHORELINE
So history tells us the future. While we can not predict the direction of prediction, but we must prepare for the construction of meaning and Welfare. The Westcliff is facing a real reconstruction. The recent economic war years has left deep scars. The revival may be due to a policy of "piecemeal", but must be linked within a project with planned objectives in the short medium and long term basis to ensure ongoing consistency .
Without doubt, the answer to an imposed change is to trace the foundations of a new city, to assert its economic role, its place in the department, while ensuring the expression of solidarity among its inhabitants.
The Westcliff has many advantages which should reveal and export.
It has a richness that it has turned back several decades: the coast.
Our opportunity is there. In what is called "the most beautiful roads of Europe," Seynois the coast is undoubtedly the trump card of the economic reconquest. Brégaillon of the Sablettes, we must find the way to the sea
Coastal development Seynois must reconcile the imperatives of development and environmental protection in conjunction with an active sea to focus on activities that generate permanent jobs.
CONTROL OF EVOLUTION
In noble dialect, know-how, is "gaoubi. We can not emphasize enough the excellence of the local workforce in shipbuilding. The difficult conditions in which ended the activity of the shipyards, obliterate anything in the prestigious production site Seynois. At each stage of industrial history, the staff has adapted to new technologies of the moment, has demonstrated innovation and expertise. Moreover, many companies created in recent years by former employees of the Normed:
Atec, Createch, EMS4, etc..
Dredges for the Suez Canal, the cuirassiers made for marine foreign military, the first submarine, the magnificent three-masted ship, the ships of all ages have testified over their wakes perfection Seynois industry.
The industrial culture of work well done, the steel work and mechanics must now pass on to other activities. The city, trades, technologies, people change. The subcontractors shipyards that survived the disaster are those who have agreed to open up to other horizons.
The example of SKY is obvious.
Before 1845, The Westcliff is a Provencal village artisan, composed of farmers, fishermen and craftsmen shipwrights. After 1845, in La Seyne between industry, it appears with the big factory and working life.
But during the 1970s, the population is changing, the city grows.
The analysis of census data is clear: already in 1982, the occupational status of employees dominates. This trend is also reflected in the population unemployed and more than 75% of jobseekers are classified in the tertiary sector, while industry accounts for 20%.
The steady increase in population and the decline of the industry are combining to change the character of the community Seynois and gives rise to new aspirations, while the crisis perpetuates poverty resurfaced.
THE INTENTION OF GRAND DESIGN
La Seyne is not doomed. We must ban any form of defeatism. Other cities have managed their marine conversion: Baltimore, Manchester, Gothenburg, Bilbao, Liverpool, Dunkirk, etc.. Each case is unique. Each city contains its own solution. It's open eyes, to think otherwise.
By way of development, there is no wand, only the will, work, perseverance, reflection. You can not replace in a few years an industrial system that took more than a century to build and consolidate. Time will be our partner.
But it is good that the passage of time does not appear we use and we lose as a handful of sand between your fingers, it is good that time is a construct. Building a future in which the difficulties of living will diminish for many families in which young people will fit more easily into a rewarding career.
La Seyne has among the riches of his identity, that of being a city born from the sea is made for human adventure ever renewed contact with the involved the sea as now, as our elders, our gaze turns to the sea and its promises. In this sense, the project Marepolis is vindication for our city. It will ensure the transition between tradition and modern naval activities at sea: a modernity already present in La Seyne. Thus there is no break.
We do not close a book, you simply turn a page of local history dedicated to the maritime odyssey. In this challenge, our commitment must be total, our first passion: La Seyne. "
Patrick MARTINENQ
March 1991
