(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #243 - Alternatiba Gonesse: A festival against the Grand Paris (fr, pt)

 [machine translation]

The collective Alternatiba Ile-de-France chose the Triangle de Gonesse to hold its first 
edition in support of this iconic area of the fight against urban renewal in Paris. A 
festival that has attracted strong unfortunately not the Paris public. ---- Defense 
Triangle Gonesse together several issues: the fight against EuropaCity, the broader 
rejection of a Grand Paris and imposed unequal, and the defense of farmland. It will 
remain in effect over much of the 1,000 acres of farmland once built golf, park, 
especially EuropaCity, its operational area (250 hectares) and all that goes with 
transport: Station Grand Paris Express (Auchan which conditioned his project), rail bar 
Gonesse and sites with high levels of bus service. A reserve of 400 hectares for the 
expansion of Grand Roissy [ 1 ] is left to farmers and hypocritically renamed "green 
square". With commercial area (500 stores) and numerous exhibition halls, and recreation - 
including smoking ski - EuropaCity says Auchan success Immochan very competitive 
subsidiary land there beating records for excess.

The project aims to tourism success delusional 26 million visitors a year, and of course a 
massive job creation (11 000 direct and 5900 indirect). If it is so huge, it's best to 
emerge in the context of saturation of the Ile-de-France in existing shopping centers 
(170) or proposed (58): it is built not far from A?roville commercial area of Roissy has 
itself weakened Parinor. Why this fierce competition? Because leasing space to retailers 
reported, and that the sector is lucrative in terms of financial value, it attracts 
investors, so that a project generates capital before being opened. A real estate bubble 
burst predictable, especially the real profitability of the real economy begins to no 
longer be waiting for you for many sites. As for jobs, the figure announced by considering 
two or three of those destroyed or simply moved (centers of the peripheral cities), and 
lies promoters will be divided. Yet it is with this argument qu'EuropaCity has the support 
of almost all government: municipal communities, establishment of public management Plaine 
de France General Council of Val d'Oise... For the moment, Immochan does not own any land. 
But for transport infrastructure, 180 hectares are already expropriables as declared of 
public utility. Obviously, neither the protection of ecosystems, or energy conservation 
have a voice. For example, the water consumption of the future project would be equivalent 
to that of a city of 25,000 inhabitants.

Against EuropaCity and his world

A demonstration in the streets of Gonesse held the first day of the festival, while the 
following day workshops have brought light on climate issues, particularly agricultural 
and... planning policies being Gonesse and the entire ?le de-France. The festival may be 
too recruited her guest-es and audience among activists, experts and local elected 
officials. Few real "alternative" held the stands, but the associations (RSN, Utopia...) 
were there, and many struggles (Notre-Dame-des-Landes, farm broths or 1000 cows). We have 
even seen networks of short circuits and organic farmers from Gonesse defend against 
EuropaCity but without neglecting the critical agricultural model in the region. Downside: 
a disappointing attendance. The next Alternatiba Idf be held in September 2015, three 
months after the climate conference (COP21) to prepare. Festival and other editions, some 
of which are infiltrated by the far right must be an upcoming article.

Fanny (commission ecology)

[ 1 ] Listed in contracts for territorial development following the Grand Paris since 2011.