Antwerp now has one more park, the Park aan de Stroom, a new green space located along the banks of the Scheldt River in the city's Nieuw Zuid district.
"We have turned our backs on the Scheldt for too long," says Flemish Minister of Public Works Annick De Ridder. "With this park, we are giving the quays back to the people of Antwerp. It is their new garden."
The new park also serves as a dyke. Flanders has invested €70 million in stabilising the quay walls and renovating the flood barrier in this area.
Located in the south of the City of Antwerp, the quays had long been an abandoned parking area. According to the minister, the quay walls were "rotten to the core." Several sections still need to be reinforced and raised to protect the city from flooding.
The park stretches for about 750 metres along the Scheldt. "With its hundreds of trees and intelligent water management, this section of the Scheldt quays is not only a meeting place, but also a response to the need for freshness in a changing climate," says Patrick Janssens, alderman for urban development.
In addition to a dog playground, the site includes climbing structures, fitness equipment and four pétanque courts. Several platforms also allow visitors to sit on a grassy slope along the river. Two pavilions are still under construction.
In the centre of the park, canals more than 300 metres long meander through the grounds. Further south, a pond with an underground basin can collect up to 290,000 litres of rainwater.
