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New plan to revitalise 100 Brussels neighbourhoods

09:56 20/02/2014

Brussels-Capital Region’s public works minister, Brigitte Grouwels, hopes to increase residents’ participation in the region by focusing on its 100 neighbourhoods. Launching a new project called Wiki’Hood yesterday, she said she wants to improve city life by encouraging citizens to play a more active role in their neighbourhoods.

“A large city like Brussels has to implement policies to promote community, participation and quality of life,” Grouwels said. “Residents often live in isolation and don’t take much interest in their neighbourhood because they don’t feel connected with it. The result: People leave the city in search of community. We want to change this attitude by focusing on neighbourhood life.”

Grouwels has developed Wiki’Hood based on a survey that shows the city is divided into 100 unique neighbourhoods. She wants to encourage these neighbourhoods to develop initiatives to improve public space, social life, cleanliness and safety.

The project will begin with neighbourhood advice centres where the public can launch initiatives such as installing a sculpture, redesigning a square or launching a campaign to improve cleanliness. “Brussels has to become a city on a human scale,” the minister said. “The Wiki’Hood model allows everyone to make a contribution.” 

 

Photo courtesy www.visualbrussels.blogspot.be

 

Written by Derek Blyth

Comments

salsadancer

I fully support neighborhoods in a city with the residents feeling a sense of "ownership". I see the Avenue Louise area (Bois de la Cambre end) is constantly seeing the STIB battling with the Ville de BXL over who is responsible for cleaning up the trashy tram tracks. This area of Louise is disgusted with the number of prostitutes who gather in front of residences at 22H leaving their trash on the window ledges and bargaining with their customers who cruise by in cars. What to do? There is graffiti everywhere. I think the city could begin to install CCTV (like in London and other large cities). This is not an "invasion of privacy" but is used to dissuade criminality and "catch on camera" those who go against the law. CCTV is cheaper than using a police force and more objective.

Feb 20, 2014 14:54
Isabella

First they let the City become unsafe and now they wish to make it safe. Too late my friends, The whole City has been taken over.

Feb 20, 2014 15:16
R.Harris

@ Isabella:

Brussels unsafe?!!! Please! Go out and see the real world before saying such inanities.

Feb 20, 2014 15:34
Isabella

@HARRIS

Which is your commune sir/madam? I live in Laeken. Yes, yes, that part of Brussels !!!!!

Feb 20, 2014 16:07