Switzerland: Econe Lodges an Appeal against a Planned Stadium near the Seminary

Fr. Benoit de Jorna, rector of the International Seminary of St. Pius X, does not intend to stay on the sidelines. He will fight to the end against the planned soccer stadium at Riddes, the commune where Ecône is located. Thus an appeal has been filed in the name of the St. Pius X Association with the federal court. Last March, the cantonal court of the Valais dismissed the  suit filed by the Ecône community. In October 2008, the the highest court for administrative law in the Valais had rejected a first appeal, judging it inadmissible by reason of too great a distance between the seminary and the stadium planned by the architect and president of FC Sion, Christian Constantin.

The SSPX is against the modifications of zoning to allow for the realization of the project, because of concerns about the noise, bright lights, and traffic that would be occasioned by the sporting events held in the stadium.

Christian Constantin thinks, however, that the “Great Stadium of Riddes,” which should have 20,000 seats, will be completed between 2013 and 2014. He is the author of such memorable lines as ” the time to come will reveal to us what the future has in store”.