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🇧🇪 Belgium /Economy & Trade

KFC Horendonk and Chiro Horendonk Open New Buildings After 1.2 Million Euro Investment

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Two local organizations, Chiro Horendonk (youth group) and KFC Horendonk (football club), have opened new and renovated facilities.
  • The municipality of Essen invested 1.2 million euros in the project, with each organization receiving 600,000 euros in subsidies.
  • The development includes a new Chiro building with a multipurpose room and an expanded canteen with a covered terrace for the football club, alongside a new public park.

Horendonk is celebrating the opening of significantly upgraded facilities for both its youth and sports communities. Chiro Horendonk and the local football club, KFC Horendonk, are unveiling their new and renovated buildings this weekend, marking the culmination of a substantial municipal investment.

We are looking for a solution that goes beyond just a new building.

— Arno AerdenArno Aerden (Vooruit Essen), alderman for Youth and Spatial Planning, explaining the municipality's approach to finding a new location for the Chiro.

The municipality of Essen has poured 1.2 million euros into the project, with both the Chiro and the football club each receiving 600,000 euros in subsidies. This funding has enabled the Chiro to construct a modern new building, featuring a multipurpose room capable of hosting up to 100 people, alongside dedicated leader and group rooms, a kitchen, and sanitary facilities. The Chiro, which previously operated from separate locations for boys and girls, will now share this new space while maintaining distinct operations.

Youth organizations operate largely on volunteers and must...

— Arno AerdenArno Aerden (Vooruit Essen), alderman for Youth and Spatial Planning, acknowledging the reliance on volunteers and the need for municipal support.

KFC Horendonk has also seen significant improvements. Following the recent renovation of its main football pitch and the construction of a new stand last year, the club has now upgraded its canteen. This includes an expansion with a covered terrace, a refreshed interior, and a new kitchen, all clad in modern wooden exterior paneling.

Our Essen associations generally manage their money well and often have a nice nest egg to make investments.

— Joris BrosensJoris Brosens (N-VA/PLE), alderman for Sport and Public Infrastructure, commenting on the financial management of local associations.

Beyond the organizational upgrades, the municipality is developing a new public park named Uilenbergpark adjacent to the Chiro building. This park aims to connect the Speenkruidpad area, the Chiro facilities, and the football grounds, creating a larger green recreational zone for the community. Local officials highlighted the importance of supporting such volunteer-driven organizations, noting that major infrastructure projects would be nearly impossible for them to achieve without significant public financial backing.

Major construction projects are of a different caliber. Without financial support, it is almost impossible for associations to realize such projects.

— Joris BrosensJoris Brosens (N-VA/PLE), alderman for Sport and Public Infrastructure, emphasizing the need for municipal subsidies for large-scale facility upgrades.
About this summary

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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