Upgrading of City Park is gradually taking shape (Antwerp)
The trails will largely remain as they are now. In the outer loop, the paths will be four meters wide and three meters smaller for the other paths. The bicycle connection and paths with a steep gradient will be constructed in concrete.
“In the Louiza-Marialei, the parking spaces will be adapted in function of the trees and use”, says Antwerp district alderman for Green Facilities and Parks Tom Van den Borne (Green). “The right-angled parking spaces will be changed to longitudinal parking.”
The current monotonous planting of snowberries will be diked in and replaced by more low and high shrubs. The lawns are kept as much as possible for the users.
Works of art
All benches, lighting poles, information boards and garbage cans will be renewed. Some statues in the park will have their own lighting. According to the preliminary design, the closure to the pond will eventually disappear.
The ‘Mother and Child’ is being moved. The city is still looking for a new location for the ‘Monument to the Fifth Line Regiment’. The memorials that are temporarily next to the Monument to the Planned Combat soldiers will eventually move to the extended Scheldt quays.
Only the outer loop, the crossing of the Van Eycklei via the Keilig bridge to the Louise-Marialei and the skate zone are still lit. For safety reasons, the playground and Grand Café Capital will also be lit.
The access along the Van Eycklei will be moved slightly to create a better flow around the Monument to the Fallen. A play fountain will be added to the monument.
city pond
The water level of the city pond remains a challenge. “We strive to maintain a constant water level,” says alderman of Public Domain Erica Caluwaerts (Open Vld). “We use, among other things, the drainage water from Den Bell. The regenerate from the streets will also be diverted to the pond. With an emergency overflow we ensure that the pond continues to play a role in the form of the neighbourhood.”
A third of the play equipment will be for children up to 4 years old. The play equipment can be linked together so that the children can walk. The play area for older children includes high playground equipment on the east side, so it does not disturb the historic axis of vision. The height of the current climbing spin is the maximum height. Construction of it is scheduled for September 2023.
“The upgrading of the City Park is being done in phases,” says Els van Doesburg (N-VA), alderman of City and Neighborhood Maintenance. “In this way, no clearcutting is caused in the protected monument and the neighborhood sees a finished result faster. The park will remain accessible.”
On Sunday 9 October there will be a dialogue moment with local residents and park visitors. Based on this dialogue and the further input of experts, the district and city will have the design elaborated.