Alken school sports days canceled due to heatwave

Alken, Belgium – The annual school sports days, a cherished tradition for around 800 primary school students in Alken, have been canceled due to the extreme heatwave. The event, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, was expected to host between 250 and 300 students daily for various sports activities.

The municipality's sports department initially developed alternative plans, including a partially outdoor program and later a fully indoor option at the sports hall. However, with temperatures predicted to reach up to 36 degrees Celsius, even these indoor activities were deemed unfeasible due to overcrowding.

"We worked all weekend to develop an adapted program," said Maarten Mareels of the sports service. "First, we considered a partial outdoor program. Then we switched to a full indoor program, but the schools ultimately didn't see that working either, due to the crowds in the sports hall."

Instead, each of the six primary schools in Alken, plus the school from Ulbeek, will now choose a separate activity. The municipality will arrange bus transportation for these individual outings. For example, De B@sis primary school will visit the outdoor swimming pool in Wellen, while Freineschool 't Schommelbootje will head to the forests of Nieuwenhoven in Sint-Truiden for cooler temperatures.

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We worked all weekend to develop an adapted program. First, we considered a partial outdoor program. Then we switched to a full indoor program, but the schools ultimately didn't see that working either, due to the crowds in the sports hall.