Most Belgians think of the Gedempte Zuiderdokken as a huge free car park in Antwerp’s Het Zuid district. The name refers to the docks that were filled in during the 1960s to create a vast space. Perfect as a car park, everyone thought.
But the cars now have to park underground as the vast open space has been turned into a new city park called Zuidpark. It’s a fantastic landscaped park with 450 young trees, 110,000 fresh plants, lawns, playgrounds, benches and a water catchment zone. The former quays Vlaamsekaai and Waalsekaai are now lined with cafes, bars and restaurants.
The Zuidpark is so new that Google Satellite View hasn’t caught up yet. It still shows cars parked in an area that is now planted with trees and grass.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
