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🇧🇪 Belgium /Environment & Climate

Antwerp Opens First Ringpark, a Green Future Symbolizing Decades of Planning

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Ringpark West, the first of seven planned green spaces, has officially opened in Antwerp, Belgium, marking a significant milestone in the Oosterweel works.
  • The Ringpark concept, aimed at improving mobility and livability, originated over 20 years ago with local movements advocating for capping the Antwerp ring road.
  • This opening demonstrates the tangible realization of the Future Alliance agreement between government and citizen groups, with all seven parks projected for completion by 2037.

Ringpark West in Antwerp has officially opened, a major step in the Oosterweel project and the first of seven large parks planned for the region. This opening signifies the tangible realization of the Future Alliance, an agreement forged between the Flemish government, the city of Antwerp, Port of Antwerp, and citizen movements like Ringland, Ademloos, and stRaten-generaal.

They are actually the cherry on top of all the works.

— Manu Claeysof the citizen movement stRaten-generaal, describing the significance of the Ringparks.

The concept for these Ringparks began over two decades ago, evolving from local initiatives like 'BorgerhouDt van Mensen' in 2003, which proposed capping the ring road in Borgerhout. This idea was later adopted and expanded by stRaten-generaal and Ademloos, who even studied international examples of road capping. By 2014, Ringland joined, proposing to cover the entire Antwerp ring road. The subsequent Future Alliance agreement aimed to drastically improve both mobility and quality of life in the Antwerp region.

While Ringpark West currently lacks the planned overpasses, it incorporates significant measures to reduce noise pollution and increase green spaces, serving as a symbolic representation of future developments. "Ringpark West on Linkeroever now shows what the future will look like," stated Louis Kuitenbrouwer, chairman of Ringland. "It is the first time that a part of the Future Alliance's plans has actually been realized."

Ringpark West on Linkeroever now shows what the future will look like. It is the first time that a part of the Future Alliance's plans has actually been realized.

— Louis Kuitenbrouwerchairman of Ringland, on the symbolic importance of the newly opened park.

Work continues on other Ringparks on the right bank of Antwerp, including Ringpark Het Schijn, Pomppark Zuid, and the Merksemse Tuinen. With Ringpark West now complete and plans for Ringpark Lobroekdok, Ringpark Zuid, and Ringpark Noordkasteel, Ringland hopes all seven parks will be finished by 2037. The ultimate goal includes obtaining permits for road capping by 2030.

The Ringpark has great symbolic significance.

— Louis Kuitenbrouwerchairman of Ringland, commenting on the first opened Ringpark.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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