After the shooting, “the neighborhood is under tension”: in the Cévennes in Montpellier, residents are waiting for the mayor firmly

Le quartier des Cévennes est en pleine mutation. Midi Libre – Jean-Michel Mart

As part of his 'Montpellier changes with you' meetings, the mayor will hold a public meeting on Friday June 7 at the nearby François-Villon town hall. What do residents think of their neighborhood after a recent shooting and the changes to come ? Opinions diverge depending on the meetings.

Destruction of part of the former Cévennes co-ownership by 2030, creation of new green spaces, redesign of avenue Louis-Ravas& ;hellip; With "50 M€ public money committed" announced by the mayor, numerous projects are underway in the Cévennes district.

While Michaël Delafosse is stopping off this week in the Cévennes district expanded to Alco, La Chamberte, La Martelle, Montpellier Village, Pergola, Petit-Bard and Saint-Clément within the framework ;nbsp;of "Montpellier changes with you", some residents are worried about the omnipresence of drug trafficking. Paul*, 42, living in the Cévennes for around fifteen years, fears that this weekend's shooting against the backdrop of drug trafficking could lead to others. A 16-year-old boy was shot and injured on the night of May 31 to June 1. Bags of cocaine were found in his rectum. "The neighborhood is under tension at the moment, more than usual. There will be several deaths if this continues. Drugs are everywhere. Sometimes I go out with a lump in my stomach. I'm afraid for my children", explains the father.

A neighborhood "abandoned for several decades"

An observation partly shared by Radia Tikouk, elected delegate to the neighborhood. "The shooting is terrifying. People want to live in peace, in serenity. Having thugs at the bottom of your building isn't going to fix things."

But the chosen one sees hope. "We've come a long way. The neighborhood has been abandoned for several decades, but it is progressing. We must give courage to associations. It’s not up to families to leave. We are all together. The neighborhood is a diamond to be polished."

Vegetation at the heart of the project

Some residents like Jean André, a worker, appreciate the mayor's arrival: "It’is a signal that is being sent. Projects can bring positive things and counter drug trafficking", explains the sixty-year-old.

Fatima Elalami, a resident for barely two years, is satisfied with the direction taken around Avenue Louis-Ravas. "The neighbors respect me, I let the children go out alone in the street." The mother hopes for the construction of a nursery school in addition to the Julie-Daubié/Madeleine-Bres school group, which will be moved to make way for a park of 5,000 m².

In its project, the municipality wants to develop the greening of the neighborhood with the creation of new green spaces for the happiness of Sheima and her daughter Ritaj. "We were supposed to go as far as avenue du Père Soulas for a walk, we won't go as far."

*First name changed I subscribe to read more