Perplexed by the arguments put forward by Coteau-du-Lac's elected officials regarding the Centre sportif Soulanges, local citizen Mélanie Bossé decided to take the bull by the horns.

In conjunction with the regular meeting held on Tuesday June 11, she decided to poll the population on the future of this sports facility and the importance of preserving it for Coteaulacois. 

"It's clear that the recent decision by our elected officials not to join the régie intermunicipale de gestion du Centre sportif de Soulanges is a disappointment for everyone. We've seen articles on the subject in the past, and wonder what's going on internally if the municipal council can't even agree on the issue. I think councillors lack transparency. Personally, I'm a very tenacious person who believes there's always a solution to even the most complex problems,” says the mother of a young field hockey player who skates regularly at the Centre sportif Soulanges as part of his school curriculum. 

An initiative to clarify the position of Coteaulac residents 

"I've decided to launch a survey to help elected officials obtain an unequivocal position from citizens on the subject. You may not use the arena on a daily basis, but you may agree with its preservation. It's important to have clear data and statistics on the subject before making a final decision. That's why I've launched a survey on Facebook to find out what people think about the issue. The approach is intended to support elected officials in basing their opinions on proven facts,” she adds. 

The exercise includes six questions: Are you FOR or AGAINST the renovations and preservation of the Soulanges Sports Centre? In which municipality do you live? Are you a user of the Sports Centre? Does a member of your family use the Sports Centre? and finally, Are you a tax payer for the municipality of Coteau-du-Lac (are you a property owner?).

At the time of writing, nearly 275 people had responded to the survey. Mélanie Bossé hopes to reach 1,000 respondents by the Tuesday, June 11 meeting, in order to share the results with elected officials.  

"The questions are neutral. I hope that all the citizens of Coteau-du-Lac will answer them so that we have a good idea of their opinions. If the results are positive, so much the better. If they're negative, so be it. At least we'll stop wondering and talking through our hats. We'll be able to rely on real data. To date, 60% of respondents are Coteau-du-Lac taxpayers, all of whom voted in favor. They're not all arena users,” she says. 

Why did we choose Facebook for the survey? Because, according to Ms. Bossé, it's the best platform for reaching the greatest possible number of citizens and users of the Centre sportif Soulanges. 

"I understand that people can be against it. They're entitled to their opinions, but the purpose of the survey is to really listen to the concerns of our population on the subject, which, in my opinion, elected officials haven't done on this issue. I want a real analysis. I'm not doing this just for my son, but for all Soulanges Sports Center users who live in the region." 

For Ms. Bossé, the choice is obvious: we have to ensure the long-term survival and maintenance of this sports infrastructure. "In Coteau-du-Lac, we couldn't afford to build a new arena. It would be too expensive. I think it's important to encourage people to get moving and stay in shape. Our healthcare system is congested enough at the moment without adding to it. So we need to encourage people to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle, and that means sports facilities like the arena. At least, that's my point of view on the subject,” she concludes. 

Would you like to have your say on the subject? You can fill in the survey by clicking on this link.