Renovated Playground in Kruidtuin opened!

The revamped Herb Garden or Botanique in Mechelen (Belgium) is completely finished and was officially opened along with the Malinois on Sunday morning, Jan. 26. Neighbors and families with children and grandchildren joined in this festive moment. This also marks the end of the ninth phase of renovation works after 20 years. Two children, together with Mayor Bart Somers and Kristof Calvo, alderman for youth and green development, were given the honor of cutting the traditional ribbon.

The beloved park now has a new, larger and integrally accessible playground. The grassy area has been further expanded, the utilities better adapted to the needs of events like Parkpop. The park walls have also been taken in hand and renovated. The largest public park and green lung in downtown Mechelen is now even larger and more enjoyable.

Circolito, the Mechelen company that widely spreads and teaches the language of circus, provided surprising entertainment during the opening. Young and old could enjoy a festive New Year’s opening of the renovated Kruidtuin despite the sopping ground from the abundant rain the past few weeks.

Greening and more space to play

That the renovation has taken so long has to do with the fact that the Kruidtuin is a natural site. This means that very many procedures have to be gone through before adjustments and renovation can take place. Initially, some outdated buildings used by city services were demolished. These included greenhouses and some outbuildings that were located on the property that until recently was not accessible to park visitors.

“The Kruidtuin is our largest public park in the historic city center, a place that evolved from Medieval garden to the park we know today” says Kristof Calvo “Due to the demolition works, we are enlarging the park by 2525 m². The Kruidtuin is now not only bigger, but also a lot greener. And the playground is also a fantastic asset for our children. The fact that it is fully accessible to children with disabilities makes it extra special“said alderman for youth and nature and green development.

A total of 1510 square meters of buildings disappeared and 449 square meters of clinkers. In addition to softening, a great deal was invested in greening. An additional 48 new trees were planted, 44 around the playground and about four elsewhere in the park. On top of that, 70 climbing plants and 4506 shrub plants were planted. Finally, an additional 876 m² of grassy area was created. The Herb Garden is located on one of the lowest-lying parts of the city. To better capture water, wadis were constructed.

“We are immensely proud of this new Herb Garden. It is a place for everyone, an oasis of green where young and old come together. The reconstruction of this park is an investment in the future of our city, and it is great to see how enthusiastically the people of Mechelen react to the renewed Kruidtuin.” says Mayor Bart Somers.

Accessible playground

A major asset of the renovated Herb Garden is its large, accessible playground. The design came about in close consultation with supervisors, schools and parents of children with disabilities. Wheelchair accessibility was specifically taken into account. The playground is a real eye-catcher in the park and was already extensively tested during the Christmas vacations.

Along with Tivoli, the new playground is the largest in our city. There is not only more space, but also more adventure. For example, there are more toys where water fun is guaranteed. By the way, the many ponds completed the whole picture and gave it an extra dimension. This is good news for all children, but especially for those from the immediate area, where there was a need for more play space,

An ambitious third parks plan

The reconstruction of the Kruidtuin is one of the many initiatives Mechelen is undertaking to make the city greener and more livable. “We want to continue along this line and invest further in greening our city in the coming years. Creating new parks and expanding and connecting existing ones is a priority. We are therefore working hard on an ambitious parks plan that will make Mechelen even greener and more pleasant for everyone,” said Mayor Somers.

Finally the question to the mayor why now benches with railings ? “When I was mayor, I always asked for benches without handrails. The reason was that young people used to sit on them all the time, and that caused nuisance on several occasions. But as you get older, you know that railings are more comfortable. Say it’s an evolution in the thinking of the city of Mechelen” concludes Bart Somers

My conclusion

I was there, saw it and approved of it. I saw the children’s eyes glistening and saw that they too were enjoying the wooden toys to the fullest. Now to look forward to better weather conditions so that the youth of Mechelen can enjoy themselves to the fullest. And certainly not to be forgotten, also the many bench moments that give parents and seniors even more opportunities to socialize within walking distance of the busy shopping center