From Industrial City to Water City
In response to the crisis that deeply altered the region’s image and stripped Yverdon of its symbolic status as an “industrial capital”. The municipal authorities began, as early as the late 1970s, to redirect the local economy and redefine the city’s identity. Their efforts focused on education, with the establishment of the School of Engineering and Management of the Canton of Vaud (HEIG-VD), and tourism. The thermalism, which was in decline since the 1930s, benefited from significant public funding, allowing for a spectacular revival. This regeneration was marked by the grand opening of the new thermal centre in 1977, followed by the reestablishment of the “Hôtel des Bains” in 1989. In 1981, the authorities officially rename the city « Yverdon-les-Bains ». This repositioning, in line with other thermal cities, draw on a curative practice dating back to the Roman period and especially fashionable during the ”Belle Epoque” (1890-1914). Taking advantage of the large plot vacated by the departure of the industry, the authorities invested in research and innovation. Open in 1988, near the highway network, « Y-parc» is Switzerland’s first science and technology parc. While this “technology cluster” appeared initially as a bold attempt to counter the crisis. Since, it has become a cornerstone of the town that contributes to the revitalization of the city.