Vooruit launches petition for adding canopy back to Schuman plans

The Vooruit party has launched a petition calling for a canopy to be installed over Schuman Square according to the original plans.

“We have put this issue on the table at several levels, but the political authority responsible for the implementation hasn’t acted,” explained the petition’s initiator, Pascal Smet (Vooruit).

“With this petition, we’re saying: Just do it now. At the moment, we’re the laughing stock of Europe. But if you go ahead with it, the problem is solved.”

The original plan for Schuman roundabout was a redevelopment featuring a large canopy as its centrepiece.

However, the renovation estimates soared from €30 million to €42 million and neither the federal Brussels fund Beliris nor the Brussels government provided any additional funding.

The latter was unable to do so because it was operating under a caretaker government at the time and was not permitted to exceed its budget, so the canopy was scrapped.

The result is now a large concrete expanse that has attracted a great deal of international criticism. Now that the government, acting with full authority, could provide additional funding, it appears unwilling to do so.

Smet, the former minister for public works who supported the initial idea for the canopy, has collected more than 600 signatures so far for the petition to restore it “as originally planned and also as authorised”.

“A large, beautiful canopy provides shade, encourages people to meet, and has an iconic quality - something people want to have their photo taken with,” Smet said, adding that there were few alternatives for cooling down the large concrete space.

“There are tunnels directly beneath the square. There isn’t enough soil for proper trees,” he added.

Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), the minister currently responsible, said that she was still looking for a more modest alternative.

“A member of parliament is free to launch a petition and a debate, but we’re talking about an extra €13 million for a canopy that does provide shade, but doesn’t make the square any greener,” said her spokesperson Els Wauters.

“If we can make the square greener, more liveable and heat-resistant without spending €13 million euros, we’d prefer that, especially given that the region needs to make significant savings.

"That’s why we have met with Brut, the architectural firm that submitted the original plan with the canopy, to explore the alternatives."

The architectural firm has indicated that greening is possible - much like a roof garden - but that it will be more expensive and less extensive than planting in open ground.

“We’re going to have to be creative, that’s precisely why we’re meeting with the architectural firm,” Wauters said.

“Once the current construction site has been fully completed, we can apply for a variation to the planning permission.”