Inspiring booklet 'Kom op voor je wijk' - part 2

This city is built on your ideas Inspiring booklet

Part 2

PREFACE

Dear fellow-citizens, Leuven is a major city but with ‘small-town feel’. It is bubbling with life, vibrant and energetic and always on the move, but without ever boiling over.

Our city recently crossed the 100,000 population mark, and the diverse mix of people living in Leuven is the greatest strength of our town. Within this context, the values of meeting and togetherness cannot be overstated. When neighbors get to know each other, they create social ties and mutual familiarity that helps them to really feel ‘at home’ in their neighborhood.

This is the kind of contact between neighbors that we, as a city, want to promote through our ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project. ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ supports local residents who have ideas to beautify their neighborhood and enhance the cohesion between neighbors. The people of Leuven are taking the lead on this project: it is up to them to bring new ideas to the table; the city will assess these ideas and check how it can help the residents to bring these ideas alive. Every idea to brighten up the neighborhood is valuable and worthwhile: they range from the smallest corner to the largest space, from neighborhood block parties to little free libraries, from green façades to community gardens, from murals to street poems ...

This inspiring booklet shows the most recent ideas that have been realized through the ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project. Get inspired by the many beautiful initiatives and start looking at your neighborhood from another perspective.

Let your creativity run free, talk about it with your neighbors, get them involved and submit your idea so the city can assess it. Together we will see how we can bring it alive. Indeed, it is a simple as that: you have a dream, and we help you to make that dream come true. How we do that?

By providing financial support, by offering an opportunity to experiment or by enabling you to subscribe to one of the ready-to-use projects that we put at your disposal.

I wish you lots of inspiration.

Bieke Verlinden Alderman of social affairs, employment and student affairs 2 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

CONTENT INSPIRATION BY TOPIC

Create - MEET p.4-7 p.4

p.8

Create - BEAUTIFY p.8-11 Create - SOCIO-CULTURAL p.12-15 Join in - NEIGHBORHOOD VEGETABLE GARDENS p.16-19 Join in - NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES p.20 Join in - NEIGHBORS’ DAY p.21

p.15

Join in - LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES p.22

p.16

Join in - NEIGHBORHOOD PANELS p.23 Join in - MOSAICS p.24 Experiment p.25

LEGEND

Edition

p.20

p.22

GO AND HAVE A LOOK YOURSELF p.26-27

Realized

PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE p.28-29

Max. allocated budget

HOW TO PARTICIPATE? p.30 PRACTICAL INFORMATION p.31

Create

MEET

1

SQUARE LANGE LOSTRAAT 2014/1

May 2016

â‚Ź 12,000

A rectangular grass field on the crossing of three streets turned out to be the ideal location for the creation of a small meeting place and playground where the local residents enjoy spending time.

‘OUR MAIN GOAL WAS CREATING A MEETING PLACE FOR YOUNG AND OLD, WITH RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE SURROUNDINGS, THAT COULD BE USED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS, IN ORDER TO FOSTER CONTACTS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.’ ­— JORIS

WITHIN, WITH, FOR AND BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD The residents of the Lange Lostraat met from time to time, but they wanted to see more of each other and expand the contacts with their neighbors. The small grass field on the corner of the Heidebergstraat and the Lange Lostraat turned out to be the ideal spot to realize this objective.

The initiators wanted to involve the entire neighborhood from the very start. ‘It had to be a project within, with, for and by the neighborhood’, explains Joris Vermang, one of the people behind the initial idea.

All the neighbors have been asked to submit their ideas for the square.

This resulted into about thirty drawings, sketches and collages. A water

park, a skate track, a pond for frogs and amphibians ... these are just a few of the ideas that have been suggested. A large sign on the grass field displaying the message ‘What will this become?’ raised the curiosity of the neighborhood. In this way, the project became part of the neighborhood even before being carried out.

The annual summer party was another opportunity to collect some more ideas. Based on this input and assisted by the city’s Green Spaces department, the project took shape and eventually got realized. The Green Spaces department executed the earthworks, after which the neighbors had to roll up their sleeves and do their part of the job. This resulted into the creation of a very nice meeting place, including a playground, with many shrubs and flowers. The petanque field in the center of the square can also be

used as a surface to put up a tent for neighborhood block parties or other activities. An amphitheater allowing to seat about forty people completed the picture.

The reactions are unanimously positive, not only from the people living near the square, but also from the neighbors living a bit further away.

The square is frequently used, both for bigger events such as the new year’s drink and the neighborhood block party, but also for smaller meetings such as children’s parties or spontaneous get-togethers.

As such, the square fully meets the expectations. And Joris ends by saying: ‘Our main goal was creating a meeting place for young and old, with respect for the environment and the surroundings, that could be used for neighborhood events, in order to foster contacts between the people living in our neighborhood’’. Mission accomplished!

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

5

Create

MEET

4

DUIVENSTRAAT 2

MICHOTTE PARK 2010/2 Summer € 18,600

of 2013 Over the years, the park located between the Tiensesteenweg and the Platte Lostraat has grown into a popular place for young families, youth movements and the pupils of the nearby elementary school.

For this reason, the neighborhood applied for an extension of the playground and the creation of a central meeting spot from which the parents and supervisors could keep an eye on the playing children. On the basis of all the ideas submitted by the local residents, the city’s Green Spaces department realized a natural design, including a tree bench, seating walls and a large picknick table that is frequently used. The Youth department of the city took charge of the playground.

6 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

THE TREE 2011/1

March 2014

€ 18,600

3

2012/2 Spring 2015 € 3,100 The people living in the Duiven­ straat wanted to transform their square with shrubs and a birch tree into a meeting place for neighborhood activities. The dull grass field made place for a petanque field and the city also placed benches and a bicycle parking. The square is separated from the street by a small hedge and a low cobblestone wall.

NEIGHBORHOOD ORCHARD VLIERBEEK

The residents of the Koksijde neighborhood in Wilsele wanted to create a meeting place with playground. The inner courtyard turned out to be the ideal location to realize this project. A survey was held in the neighborhood, in which the nearby school Hertog Karel also took part. It finally resulted into the idea of a play boat, a picknick table and several benches. The Youth department of the city invested in additional toys for the playground, while the Green Spaces department accompanied the neighborhood during the whole process.

5

2016/1 2016-2017 € 4,000 By creating a neighborhood orchard, the local history society of the Vlierbeek Abbey wanted to involve the people living in the neighborhood more closely to the abbey site. The history society set up a training program focusing on fruit maintenance and processing, and organized various happenings.

It also set up a cooperation with the abbey school located nearby.

6

CENTRAL PARK

2013/1 2013-2014 € 15,320 The people living nearby the former central workshops of the NMBS railroad company didn’t want to wait until the creation of the new Train Park that was foreseen on the site and decided to take things in hand and pull up their sleeves.

The temporary neighborhood park ‘Central Park 3010’ took shape in a couple of working days. Enthusiasts got started with pallets, flower seeds and tree trunks. Art works and a play hill completed the setting. In this way, the neighborhood succeeded in creating a multifunctional park where young and old can get together to play a game of soccer, have a picknick or just sit and chat with neighbors.

HEUVELHOF

7

2016/2 Sep 2017 € 10,050 Prior to the project, the residents of the elderly home the ‘Heuvelhof’ already used to get together on the small dolomite square, located in the center of their neighborhood.

Because they found that the benches were too far apart and felt the need

for a shelter, they teamed up with the local services center ‘Ter Vlierbeke’ to submit an application within the scope of the ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project.

In cooperation with the city’s Green Spaces department, the residents gave the square a new look by creating a petanque field and planting flowers. The benches were placed closer together so it became easier to have a chat. In the near future, there will also be a shelter with a picknick table.

8

WITTE WIJK 2013/2 2015-2016 € 10,000 The residents of the Witte wijk in Wilsele believed that the concrete square located behind the sports hall in the Henricus Bosmanslaan deserved much better. With the support of the city services, their square got a nice wooden decking with a bench and new planting.

Some of the people living in the neighborhood painted flowers on the surface and with the help of creative studio Jonna they realized a beautiful mosaic tabletop made from old floor tiles.

9

FREDERIK LINTSSTRAAT 2013/1 Aug 2013 € 2,500 A nice spot to share with all the neighbors where they could get together to relax and play a game together … that is what the people living in the Fredrik Lintsstraat were dreaming of. To make their dream come true, they submitted in the spring of 2013 a project application for the creation of a petanque field next to the administrative building of the public social welfare center OCMW. The place was named ‘Under the linden tree’, referring to the linden trees that have been retained when demolishing the former OCMW buildings.

10

FRANS NACKAERTSPLEIN 2015/1 Spring 2016 € 3,500 The circular shaped grass field in the Frans Nackaertsstraat with its low vegetation had lost its meaning. By putting two picknick tables and a new hedge, the place got a complete lookover and could be used again for get-togethers.

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

7

Create

BEAUTIFY

1

A COZY AND GREEN MUSSEN NEIGHBORHOOD 2014/1

2016

â‚Ź 10,000

The first intention was to increase the green space in the streets of the Mussenwijk. This rather modest idea grew out to something much bigger and eventually resulted in various activities during which neighbors got to know each other better.

‘WHAT MAKES ME EVEN HAPPIER THAN THE PHYSICAL INTERVENTIONS, IS THE FACT THAT WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER SO MUCH BETTER. TOGETHER, WE HAVE BEEN DRAGGING POTS ALONG, MADE COFFEE FOR THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND DECORATED THE STREET WITH SMALL FLAGS.’ ­— LAURA

The first mural was soon joined by a second one, realized by Franklin, one of the people living in the neighborhood. With the help of some of the strongest men of the city’s Green Spaces department, 9 tree pots were planted, each one receiving a patron and a patroness.

A little free library at the corner with the Ravenstraat and two bulletin panels to spread the word about neighborhood activities, placed at both entrances of the neighborhood, completed the picture.

disagreements about how to handle things, but the most important is that we got to know each other much better and that it became so much easier to have a chat or give each other a helping hand’, tells Laura Van Bouchout, one of the people living in the neighborhood.

‘Everyone seems pleased that something has finally been done. Even the people who didn’t really took part in the realization of the project, enjoy the fact that they are living in a dynamic neighborhood, where people know each other by name and stop to have a chat on their way to the bakery.’

‘What makes me even happier than the physical interventions, is the fact that we got to know each other so much better. Together, we have been dragging pots along, made coffee for the whole neighborhood and decorated the street with small flags.

OK, we sometimes had some minor

During their last meeting, one of the newcomers in the neighborhood suggested the idea to grow herbs on the window sills and share them with all the neighbors. So, it does not seem that the ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ story has come to a conclusion yet.

borhood to explain the next steps and collect additional feedback.

A GREEN CITY OASIS It all started at the neighborhood café organized by the city in 2013.

The idea to convert the neighborhood into a green and colorful city oasis took shape during this event. Tree pots, flower planters and murals should brighten up the neighborhood streets.

A small group of neighbors put flyers into the letter boxes to collect feedback for their ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ dossier. The first concrete step of the project was taken right after the city had approved the project: a mural by the artist Bisser.

At boxing day, all the neighbors gathered to share their Christmas leftovers while the artist finished his painting. After this event, the initiators walked through the neigh-

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

9

Create

BEAUTIFY COLOR UP THE LINDENSESTRAAT 2013/1

May 2014

2

€ 4,000

An annual winter drink, a summer street party, a street blog ... the Lindensestraat had already set up some initiatives to strengthen the community feeling within the neighborhood. But the people living in the street were also dreaming about a greener environment.

During one day, they all worked together to give 20 houses a lush green facade. Window sills got brightened up with flower pots; colorful flags were hung across the street. In 2016, the neighborhood submitted a second application for two murals and the insertion of art clinkers, i.e. colored clinkers enhancing the general street view.

3

MORE MECHELSESTRAAT 2011/2 2012-2016 € 9,000 The people living in the Mechelsestraat wanted to add more greenery and color to the section between the Vismarkt and Sint-Geer10 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

trui/Keizersberg. With the help of the city’s Green Spaces department, they mounted flowers baskets to the façades of several houses in the street. The pupils from the provincial secondary school De Wijnpers took part in the project by brightening the appearance of the grey façade of the former Belgacom building located on the corner of the Vismarkt by a 40 meters long mural. They succeeded in transforming this huge concrete building into a colorful setting for a vibrant neighborhood.

4

WILSELE, LOCALLY GROWN FRUIT FOR EVERYONE 2013/1 Oct 2016 € 1,500 The purpose of the neighborhood committee of Wilsele-dorp was twofold: bring the neighbors together around educational activities and contribute to the city project ‘Leuven Klimaatneutraal’ (Leuven climate neutral). On the René Verbeeckplein, they planted 7 different walnut trees in a semicircle, which became the meeting place where neighborhood activities and events are held. At the same time, focus is put on the historical and present importance of walnuts.

5

PATERNOSTERSTRAAT, ALL TOGETHER FOR A GREEN RESIDENTIAL AREA 2013/1 2015-2016 € 5,250 The people living in the Paternosterstraat aka ‘the street with its flags at the Kop van Kessel-Lo’, wanted to take things further and applied to incorporate more greenery into their street. Today, fourteen flower baskets hanging on the façades of the houses brighten up the neighborhood. In the center of the street, a seating and meeting place was set up where neighbors can get together.

MURAL DE BRUUL

6

2014/1 Oct 2015 € 2,000 A small group of enthusiastic people living in the De Bruul neighborhood applied to get a new, beautiful, fresh looking and child friendly painting on the concrete wall of the park.

After they got their ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project selected by the city, they started working on its realization. They asked their neighbors for their ideas and wishes, involved other organizations in the neighborhood and organized a graffiti workshop led by KillerBee.

7

MURAL LEERLOOIERIJSTRAAT 2014/2 Oct 2015 € 3,500 The people living in Leerlooierij­ straat wanted to introduce more color into their street. But the presence of a car park beneath the street made it impossible to plant greenery in the open ground. So, they had to find other ways to brighten up their street.

They finally selected a colorful mural painted by graffiti artist DinDin. The city’s Green Spaces department placed some additional greenery pots and created as such a cozy corner where neighbors can get together.

FREDERIK LINTSSTRAAT, A GREEN AND CAR-FREE STREET

8

2016/1 2017 € 12,000 After having obtained a petanque field, the people living in the Frederik Lintsstraat decided in 2016 to take things a step further.

So, they submitted a new application for a green and car-free residential street, with extra focus on the public space as a meeting space. To get their idea realized, the neighborhood used the adjusted traffic situation resulting from the city’s new circulation plan. A first step consisted in planting 10 trees in open ground to give the street a greener look.

9

GREEN FAÇADES HOLSBEEKSESTEENWEG 2015/2 Spring 2016 € 1,700 A large group of people living in the Holsbeeksesteenweg thought that their busy street with its grey façades could use a facelift.

Seventeen house owners were willing to turn the façades of their houses into green façades to encourage interactions between neighbors. In cooperation with the non-profit organization ‘Wonen en werken’, the neighborhood set up a planting day, followed by a potluck dinner party.

and old: monthly dinners, playground activities, midday aperitive, a yearly BBQ, working days ... The neighborhood was already thinking some time about having a nice mural on the big side wall of their community center. With the support of the ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project, their idea became reality. The design was realized together with the people living in the neighborhood and other users of the center. Graffiti artist DinDin used the whole side wall to create his mural. The little free library was nicely integrated into the design.

11

BRABANÇONNESTRAAT, WHERE NEIGHBORS MEET ...

MURAL DE PIT

10

2015/1 Sept 2015 € 4,900 Since many years, the neighborhood center De Pit is the central meeting place where a wide range of activities are organized for young

2016/1 2016-2017 € 6,000 The implementation of the city’s new circulation plan turned the Brabançonnestraat into a one-way street which provided new layout opportunities. A group of enthusiastic neighbors took the opportunity to make their street greener and cozier.

To give shape to their idea, they placed tree pots, provided an additional bicycle parking and created a meeting place in front of the housing and care center for elderly.

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

11

Create

SOCIO-CULTURAL

1

STREET TALENTS AND LOCAL POETS SOLVAYSTRAAT 2013/1 and 2015/2

2013 and 2016

€ 1,500 and € 1,350

Simply getting to know each other better, was what the residents of Ernest Solvaystraat wanted.

They launched two successful projects, in which local talent was seen and heard.

‘WE WERE LOOKING FOR INITIATIVES TO BOOST THE ACTIVITIES IN OUR STREET WHICH NOT ONLY GAVE THE NEIGHBORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER IN AN INFORMAL AND RELAXED WAY BUT ALSO ALLOWED THEM TO MAKE THEIR STREET NICER AND COZIER.’ ­— PATRICK

PIZZA AND POETRY The people living in the Ernest Solvaystraat in Kessel-Lo already had a long-established tradition of celebrating the beginning of the new year by a new year’s drink and the end of the summer by a street BBQ. However, they wanted to do more ... Patrick Sys, one of the people living in the street, explains: ‘We were looking for initiatives to boost the activities in our street which not only gave the neighbors the opportunity to get to know each other better in an informal and relaxed way but also allowed them to make their street nicer and cozier.’

A street talent project turned out to be the perfect concept to give shape to this idea. It consisted in enabling every one living in the street to show his talent or special

skill to his fellow-neighbors. Pizzaiolos, philosophers, chess champions, rope skipping teachers ... the Solvay­ street turned out to be bursting with talent. All these talents and special skills have been compiled in a booklet. To create the latter, the photographic talent of neighbor Annie Vercruysse proved to be very useful.

Throughout the month of November, the neighbors opened the door of their living room to demonstrate their talents to each other. A poster with the pictures of all the people living in the street, brightened up the windows and allowed the neighbors to get to know each other.

Two years later, this street talent project resulted into the submission of a new ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ application, this time focusing on poetry. ‘We were reflecting on a talent that lurks in every one of us, but that remains very often undiscovered, and we came

up with writing poetry’, tells Patrick.

So, the neighborhood decided to set up four workshops which resulted into a successful final day, during which famous and lesser known poets came reading their own work.

Several front windows showed posters displaying the favorite poems of the people living in the house, allowing the people passing by to enjoy some literature.

The project culminated in the first reading of the street poem written by street poet Mark Alexander, which got a prominent place in the neighborhood.

‘The most important result of these two projects consists in the fact that people got to know each other and that ever since they do not feel afraid to drop in to each other’s house to ask for a favor or borrow something’, concludes Patrick. ‘In the meantime, we are thinking about a new project, in which we want to involve even more people.’

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

13

Create

SOCIO-CULTURAL

3

KESSEL-LO, CELEBRATION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF DE ARK 2

KESSEL-LO, 30’ 2014/2 2015 € 1,310 The implementation of the 30 km/h zone in a large part of Kessel-Lo seemed an excellent opportunity to start an awareness campaign focusing on the quality of life. So, a group of neighborhood committees decided to set up different initiatives, such as the ‘Vlaggen­ schip Leefstraat’ which consists in a broad selection of festive flags available for renting, or the ‘Toog Nomade’, a mobile bar that can be booked for any kind of occasion but in specific for playground streets and neighborhood block parties, and where people can share their ideas about the quality of life in their neighborhood. During the ‘Bar Bellevue’ event, a bicycle convoy gathered on a central spot in the neighborhood that became the catwalk of a genuine bicycle and bicycle accessories ‘fashion’ show.

14 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

2013/1 2013 € 2,500 The last week of April 2013, the nursery and elementary school De Ark celebrated its 100th anniversary.

As the school is firmly embedded within the neighborhood, it wanted to use this momentum to reinforce its cooperation with the neighborhood committees and associations.

Throughout the year, De Ark set up activities to strengthen the relationship between all the neighborhood actors. The activities even included the creation of a special neighborhood beer, named Michotte.

4

STREET STORIES ‘NIEUW KWARTIER’ 2013/2 May 2014 € 990 Within the context of the ‘Street

stories’ project, the residents of the Nieuw Kwartier have written, with the help of the city’s Heritage department, a booklet about the history and the evolution of their neighborhood. To get all the neighbors involved, the initiators organized an event with photo rally, which was also the start for more neighborhood-related initiatives.

GROOT-REDINGENHOF, GIANT PRINCESS NELA

5

2013/1 2017 € 2,500 The giant Jan Van den Graetmolen, based on the historical figure who owned the Dijlemolens in 1430, settled in the neighborhood of the Groot-Redingenhof 25 years ago.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of his arrival, the people living in the neighborhood decided that the time had come to provide him a companion. So, they created Nela, a little giant princess with Belgian-­ African roots, symbolizing the international character of the neighborhood. As from that moment on, Nela accompanies Jan wherever he goes, in or outside Leuven. In 2017, they both joined the third edition of the ReuzeLeuven parade.

6

8

WIJGMAAL, DOREMY 2015/2 and 2016/2 2016-2017 € 1,700 and € 2,165 To give local talent a chance and get the people of Wijgmaal all together, seven neighbors opened their house for several living room concerts. The final concert took place in the local pub. The first edition held in 2016 turned out to be such a success, that is was followed the next year by a second, extended edition. Ten living room concerts organized in 2017 put extra focus on the history and the stories of Wijgmaal.

KOKSIJDEWIJK, AJAR

vated playground became their ideal ‘base of operations’, as from where new activities could be set up depending on the season.

Common thread through all their activities is the ‘bolderkar’, a wagon containing interesting play, reading and construction material.

7

2014/2 2015-2016 € 1,500 Due to successive street reconstructions works in the Koksijde neighborhood of Wilsele, the once so vibrant neighborhood life had come to a standstill. To get to know the new residents better and to reinforce the community cohesion, different neighborhood organizations, helped by some of the people living in the street, put their heads together. The reno-

VALVEKENSTRAAT, GIANT JEAN RICHARD II 2016/1 2017 € 2,500 To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of their street party, the people living in the R. Valvekenstraat in Kessel-Lo had greater ambitions than ever before. Sixteen ladies from the neighborhood set up a majorette team. At the same time, some neighbors started the creation of a giant, based on the figure of their present street mayor Jean Minnoye. To get the kids involved, the street organized an art and drawing contest and asked them to take part in the composition of the Giant’s song. In May 2017, giant Jean Richard II joined the third edition of the ReuzeLeuven parade and became as such the fourth giant of the city of Leuven.

9

NEIGHBORHOOD COOKBOOK ‘TRIANGEL’ 2016/1 2016-2017 € 2,450 As the neighborhood get-togethers in the Giraudstraat and its surrounding streets most of the times ended up in some massive recipe sharing, it seemed no more than obvious to compile a neighborhood cookbook. Because the project was so low-threshold, it succeeded in reaching a lot of the people living in the neighborhood. Once finished, the cookbook got a festive inauguration and a permanent place in the neighborhood’s little free library.

10

CENTRALE WERKPLAATSEN 2015/2 2016-2017 € 1,350 To enable all the people living in the Central Workshops neighborhood to get to know each other, some of the neighbors set up a large range of activities, such as kubb tournaments, herbs workshops, first aid courses for children and adults, trade markets and baking competitions ...

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

15

Join in

COMMUNITY GARDEN

1

‘ZON’ IN PUTKAPEL A bunch of enthusiastic neighbors and one good soul willing to give up part of his garden: that is all it took to create a community garden in de Hoogveldweg in Wilsele, where ever since all kinds of activities are organized.

‘WE DON’T ONLY WANT PEOPLE TO GET OUT, WE ALSO WANT THEM TO TAKE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMMIT THEMSELVES TO USE NATURE IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY.’ ­— GEERT

CANNING AND BONFIRES Boosting the community life in Wilsele-Putkapel by focusing on a healthy, sustainable and natural way of life... that is what the initiators of the Zon in Putkapel project had in mind. They started by organizing small-scale neighborhood activities, but it didn’t take long before they began dreaming about something bigger: a neighborhood picking garden with compost pile. When Etienne Belpaire, one of the neighbors living in the Jan Van Avondtstraat, voluntarily offered to give up a big part of his garden, the community garden ‘t Hoogveldje was a fact.

The garden is always accessible, whether you want to relax, pick some small fruits or herbs, or have a look at the chickens ... In addition,

people can also put their food scraps on the compost pile. The garden also includes a little free library. During the weekly table round, readers meet to share their latest discoveries.

A group of dedicated volunteers takes care of the garden. The local associations, such as the scouts’ group and the Hertog Karel School are closely involved in the project.

But when it comes to attract new people, the neighborhood activities are the best crowd-pullers. For that reason, the neighborhood organizes on a regular basis workshop afternoons and neighborhood cafés. The workshops on pottery and clay works, permaculture, and fruit and vegetable conservation techniques such as fermentation and canning, were a great success.

The quiz evenings and bonfires are also very popular. Every year, the project initiators put up a stall at the ‘Wilsele Feest’ where they sell the ‘Belpaire’, their own, local

crafted beer that is always met with great enthusiasm.

‘All our activities are aimed at reinforcing the community cohesion between the people living in our neighborhood and its larger surroundings’, tells Geert Thyssen, who is, together with Kris Van Ingelghem and Annelies Vandebroek, one of the creative and green-minded promotors of the Zon project in Putkapel.

‘We encourage people to go out and share some great moments with their neighbors. There is no better way to get people together. And the better they know each other, the more likely it becomes that they, independently of our activities, call upon each other’s help. But we don’t only want people to get out, we also want them to take their responsibilities and commit themselves to use nature in a sustainable way.’ These are exactly the things that the ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project supports.

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

17

Join in

COMMUNITY GARDEN

3

H. WITTEBOLSSTRAAT, THE GREEN PEAS

2

PRINS-REGENTPLEIN In 2015, the local community center and the people living in the Casablanca neighborhood decided to create in the heart of their neighborhood a garden where they could grow all together fruits, vegetables and herbs. The city’s Green Spaces department prepared the soil and put a fence, after which the first trench could be made. The garden produces ever since a more than decent biological harvest.

18 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

Six families living in the Henricus Wittebolstraat in Wijgmaal wanted to create a vegetable garden on a parcel, adjacent to their own gardens. The owner of this plot of land, the association ‘Natuurpunt’, went along with their idea. With the help of an extra pair of hands, the initiators created an organic fruit and vegetable garden that also serves as an educational spot for the children living in the neighborhood.

4

KATELIJNEHOF Located between the Small Beguinage and the Mechelsestraat, this small, cozy park is one of the most hidden treasures of Leuven.

Several people living in the neighborhood bundled their forces and set up the non-profit organization ‘vzw Ruimtevaart’ to transform this idyllic spot into a flourishing vegetable garden, where in the meantime the first vegetables have been harvested. A new project application asks for financial support to create a playground and meeting place within the park.

6

SINT-MAARTENSDAL, DE BRAEM 5

VANHOORENBEKEPLEIN, MOESTIE

An undeveloped piece of land of 2 ares, located right behind the Kettekeet? The children animators of the neighborhood center ‘Sint-Martensdal’ didn’t want to waste the opportunity.

So, they teamed up with the nearby elementary school ‘De Zevensprong’ to create the community garden ‘De Braem’. The first potato harvest resulted into a well-attended fries party.

Things are moving on the Vanhoorenbekeplein in Kessel-Lo. Every year, the neighborhood organizes a summer and winter event. Since 2013, it also has its own garden where the neighbors meet to grow together vegetables and herbs. In this way, they got to know each other better. In the beginning, the garden merely consisted of a container garden, but later on, the gardeners switched to gardening in open ground.

They also set up a compost pile, which is ideal for a neighborhood where a lot of people are living in apartments and cannot always get rid of their food scraps.

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

19

Join in

NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES

LET THERE BE NO DOUBT: THE NICEST WAY TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS, IS BY ORGANIZING A STREET OR NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY.

A lot of your fellow-citizens have already done it before. Last summer, no less than 87 neighborhood block parties have been organized.

The city is more than happy to lend you all the equipment you need. We have 160 trestle tables, 2,000 chairs, 79 stage elements, 3 DJ sets, 12 toy trunks and 47 tents at your disposal.

In addition, the ‘neighborhood culture’ project enables you to book about 40 acts at a big discount.

You don’t know how or where to start? To find out more and get some practical tips, have a look at www.leuven.be/buurtfeesten.

20 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

Join in

NEIGHBORS’ DAY

THE LAST FRIDAY OF MAY, MILLIONS OF NEIGHBORS ALL OVER EUROPE INVITE EACH OTHER FOR AN ENTERTAINING GET-TOGETHER.

On Neighbors’ Day, which takes place on the last Friday of May, millions of neighbors all over Europe invite each other for an entertaining get-together. In 2010, the city called upon its inhabitants to join this initiative. That year, ten neighborhoods decided to give it a go. Eight years later, in May 2017, the number of participating neighborhoods has increased tenfold: last Neighbors’ Day, no less than 104 streets organized a party.

The city offers all the participating streets a party package including party supplies and refreshments.

The people living in the residential building ‘Kristinapark’ in Heverlee were among the first to join the initiative in 2010 and have never missed one ever since. As ‘Kristinapark’ is located close to IMEC and Gasthuisberg, there are people of different nationalities living together in the same building. But most of the time, these people only stay in Leuven for a limited period of time.

To get to know them better, the resident group decided to organize a Neighbors’ Day. After having overcome their initial hesitation, people really got enthusiastic about the idea.

Every year, the gathering becomes a warm get-together, where English, Spanish and even Mandarin intermingle. As a result of Neighbors’ Day, people started greeting each other sooner than before and they had more frequent chats. For the residents of ‘Kristinapark’, one thing is sure: they will be participating in next Neighbor’s Day edition.

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

21

Join in

LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES

TAKE ONE, LEAVE ONE

A little free library is a small, public box where neighbors can share books or magazines: they can take one and put it back later, or leave one in exchange for the one they took. In this way, little free libraries offer your ‘old’ books and magazines a second life while creating a new meeting place in your neighborhood.

Of course, the concept is not about taking everything out. When you have finished the book you took, you put it back so your neighbors can also enjoy it. You may keep the book, but only on one condition: you leave another one in exchange for the one you took. In this way, the little free library will always include some new reading material. Every little free library has a sponsor who keeps a close eye on it.

The little free libraries are made by the students of the ‘Vrij Technisch Instituut’ Leuven. Each library is supplied in pale wood so the neighborhood can customize it by pasting a strip of wallpaper, applying some colorful paint or burning drawings into the wood ...

Since the start of the project, Leuven counts 34 little free libraries.

22 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

The people living in the neighborhood use it to share books, magazines and even DVDs. In the Goswin IIIlaan, the Zavelstraat and the Zegelaan they even have a special kind of little free library, namely a library tree trunk. Some expert hands of the city’s Green Spaces department have given a second life to some of the chestnut trees that had been felled alongside the Geldenaaksevest.

To create their little free library, the inhabitants of the Tiensesteenweg asked the pupils of the nearby school ‘de Ark’ to participate in the project. Book club teacher Sara set up a drawing contest so the children could submit their design for the little free library. The winning drawing, representing bookworms, was turned into the ‘real thing’ by Leen Chaerle, one of the people living in the neighborhood.

Join in

NEIGHBORHOOD BULLETIN PANEL

FACEBOOK, BUT FOR REAL

‘Facebook, but for real’, that is how you could describe a neigh­ borhood bulletin panel, a wooden box frame covered with a pane of glass, displaying all kind of messages such as announcements of neighborhood initiatives, advertisements, requests, anecdotes to share ...

For the moment being, six bulletin panels have already been placed, more in specific at the Quinten

Metsysplein, in Wilsele-dorp, nearby the sitting bench in the Giraudstraat, in Wijgmaalbroek and close to the community gardens Katelijnehof and Moestie. Soon, there will be 8 more at 8 different spots.

Hilde Talloen, living in the Mussen­ wijk, is happy with the result: ‘Thanks to the bulletin panel, newcomers get informed about our neighborhood activities.’

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

23

Join in

MOSAIC

THE PEOPLE OF LEUVEN SHAPE THEIR TOWN

‘The people of Leuven shape their town’, that motto was brought literally alive in the Mosaic project.

At the beginning of 2017, the city launched an appeal to transform the grey, dull tree pots, placed in the new traffic-low streets of the inner city, into colorful mosaic art works.

More than 300 fellow-citizens responded to the appeal. Schools, retirement homes, inhabitants of halting sites, welfare organizations,

24 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

a beekeepers association, neighbors, friends and even the central prison ... they all participated in the project. They started realizing their ideas under the skillful supervision of 6 artists.

The result: 34 tree pots, each one a small work of art and a product of lots of creativity and inventiveness, telling its own story.

Given the tremendous success and the overwhelming result, the Mosaic project has been included in the ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project offer. So, if you feel inspired, start realizing your own mosaic, tailored to your neighborhood.

EXPERIMENT

RIDDERSSTRAAT

SINT-SERVATIUSSTRAAT

Public space became vacant after the implementation of the circulation plan. The people living in the Riddersstraat considered this to be the perfect opportunity to get things done in their street.

To involve all the neighbors from the start and find out what they wanted, the initiators decided to first explore the possibilities and experiment with the space that had been freed up. Wooden benches and flower planters allowed to

visually delimitate the space within the street and create safe experimental areas. Within these areas, the neighborhood started to further elaborate their ideas and assign the space a final designation.

The people living in the Sint-­ Servatiusstraat wanted to banish parked cars from their street and use the freed up space to create a meeting area and extra space for playing children. Right before the summer of 2017, they started their experiment by placing modular

benches and flower planters.

A large bicycle parking allowed to get rid of the bikes parked on the pavement. Grass carpets brightened up the Sint-Servatius­straat that used to be a grey and dull street.

The assessment of the project took place in the autumn of 2017.

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

25

Go and have a look

YOURSELF 5

26

7

HOLSBEEK

PUTKAPEL

10

9

16

25

15

21

24 1

8

3

WILSELE

3

4 23

6

6

2

HERENT

27

WIJGMAAL

28 3

17

1

 



22

5

5

PLAN YOUR OWN INSPIRATIONAL WALKING ROUTE. 4

MEET LANGE LOSTRAAT MICHOTTE PARK THE TREE - KOKSIJDEWIJK DUIVENSTRAAT NEIGHBORHOOD ORCHARD VLIERBEEK 6 CENTRAL PARK 7 HEUVELHOF 8 WITTE WIJK 9 UNDER THE LINDEN TREE FREDERIK LINTSSTRAAT 10 FRANS NACKAERTSPLEIN

29

5

KESSEL-LO

2

18

19

2

6

EXPERIMENT

1 2 3 4 5

2

20

BEAUTIFY

7 1

7

10

1

1 MUSSENBUURT 2 COLOR UP THE LINDENSESTRAAT 3 MORE MECHELSESTRAAT 4 LOCALLY GROWN FRUIT VERBEECKPLEIN 5 ALL TOGETHER FOR A GREEN RESIDENTIAL AREA PATERNOSTERSTRAAT 6 MURAL DE BRUUL 7 MURAL LEERLOOIERIJSTRAAT 8 FREDERIK LINTSSTRAAT 9 GREEN FAÇADES HOLSBEEKSESTEENWEG 10 MURAL DE PIT 11 BRABANÇONNESTRAAT, WHERE NEIGHBORS MEET ...

10

5 11 2 8

6

9

13

4

3

4 7

9 2

COMMUNITY GARDENS

11

6

1 ZON IN PUTKAPEL J. VAN AVONDTSTRAAT 2 PRINS-REGENTPLEIN 3 THE GREEN PEAS H. WITTEBOLSTRAAT 4 KATELIJNEHOF 5 MOESTIE VANHOORENBEKEPLEIN 6 DE BRAEM SINT-MAARTENSDAL

3

1

HEVERLEE

4

LEUVEN

8

1

NEIGHBORHOOD BULLETIN PANELS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

14





12

QUINTEN METSYSPLEIN GIRAUDSTRAAT WIJGMAALBROEK KATELIJNEPARKJE VAN HOORENBEKEPLEIN WILSELE-DORP MUSSENWIJK

1 SINT-SERVATIUSSTRAAT 2 RIDDERSSTRAAT LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES 1 NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER MANNENSTRAAT 2 NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER SINT-MAARTENSDAL 3 GROOT REDINGENHOF, REDINGENSTRAAT 90 4 JAARTALLENPAD 5 MUSSENSTRAAT 6 OPEK, VAARTKOM 7 QUINTEN METSYSPLEIN 8 WELDADIGHEIDSSTRAAT 9 SITTING AREA ‘TRIANGEL’, CROSSING ALBERT GIRAUDSTRAAT - EMILE VAN ARENBERGSTRAAT 10 NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER DE PIT, PLEINSTRAAT 11 HOVENIERSDREEF 12 SQUARE AT THE GOSWIN III­-LAAN 13 SQUARE AT THE ZEGELAAN 14 SINT-RENILDISPLEIN 15 ACHTURENSTRAAT/ RODENBACHSTRAAT 16 BERGSTRAAT 17 SQUARE AT THE CROSSING LANGELOSTRAAT – HEIDEBERGSTRAAT 18 SCHOOLSTRAAT 19 T-CROSSING SPAARSTRAAT – WATERLEIDINGSTRAAT 20 TIENSESTEENWEG, CLOSE TO THE CHURCH 21 WIPSTRAAT 22 ZAVELSTRAAT 23 NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER WILSELE-DORP, SCHORENS­HOF 24 COMMUNITY GARDEN ‘T HOOGVELDJE, HOOGVELDWEG 25 LDC TER PUTKAPELLE, BOSSTRAAT 26 ROOISTRAAT 27 SINT-HADRIANUSSTRAAT, IN FRONT OF THE WERREK 28 WIJGMAALBROEK 29 PATROONSCHAPSTRAAT

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

27

Projects

IN THE PIPELINE

THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO STAND UP FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY HAVE BEEN APPROVED, BUT ARE STILL IN PROGRESS. SO GET READY FOR MORE INTERESTING NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECTS IN LEUVEN.

1. RIJSCHOOLSTRAAT Redesignation of the former parking spaces into meeting space and green playground.

2017/1 € 17,800

2. GELDENAAKSEBAAN BRINGING COLOR ONTO THE BRIDGE AND INTO THE STREET Two murals to beautify the Geldenaaksebaan.

2017/1 € 4,460

3. RESIDENTIAL STREET GROENEWEG Design and layout of a meeting space to enhance social interaction.

2017/1 € 10,000

4. A GREEN PASWERKERIJ Wooden flower planters to add more greenery to the Paswerkerij.

2017/1 € 15,800

5. WILSELSESTEENWEG SENSE UNIQUE Additional greenery in the street and renovation of the meeting square.

2017/1 € 13,000

6. ROUNDABOUT DEKENSTRAAT Transforming a gloomy square into a nice, green, creative, informative, decorative and socio-cultural meeting place.

2016/2 € 17,000

7. HOVENIERSDREEF Transforming the grass field into a meeting place/playground/resting space for the neighborhood.

2016/2 € 4,500

28 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

8. LOVENSVELD Creation of a meeting space including benches, petanque field and extra greenery.

2016/2 € 18,600

9. ‘T HOOGVELDJE Renewal of the sports square including a petanque field, benches and picknick tables.

2016/2 € 9,000

10. FOLDING SEATS SPAARSTRAAT Placing folding seats at the façades so the neighbors can sit together in front of their houses to have a chat.

2016/1 € 6,920

11. CIVIL ART (WELDADIGE BAYO) Working all together to realize a sustainable and multifunctional work of art, based on stories of the neighborhood history.

2016/1 € 3,000

12. ELFNOVEMBERLAAN Transforming the underexploited grass field on the corner of the Kortrijksestraat into a cozy meeting space including a vegetable garden, a large picknick table, a tree trunk track and a sports field.

2016/2 € 11,200

14. PATROONSCHAPSTRAAT Brightening up the blind wall of the school building by a colorful mural and adding greenery to the street by placing flower planters and creating green façades.

2016/1 € 5,500

15. PAVILJOEN GROOT-REDINGENHOF Enhancing the restored pavilion in the Dijlepark to use it for neighborhood activities and get the people of the neighborhood more involved.

2016/1 € 3,000

13. TREE BENCH SINT-MAARTENSDAL A tree bench to enhance social contacts and encourage the people living in the neighborhood to have spontaneous chats.

2016/2 € 7,160

INSPIRING BOOKLET —

29

How to

PARTICIPATE?

YOU WANT TO SET UP A PROJECT FOR YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD? GO AHEAD!

‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ includes three types of actions: Create, Experiment and Join in.

Each action is promoted and supported by the city.

You want to ‘create’ something?

Get together with other people of your neighborhood and think about the ways to make your neighborhood nicer and more pleasant. A neighborhood sitting corner, a mural, a neighborhood booklet ... let your imagination take the lead. To help you realize your ideas, the city provides financial support up to 18,600 euros.

Still hesitating because not sure about the effects? Within the ‘experiment’ part of the ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project, you have the opportunity to test your idea for a certain period of

What?

Submission deadline Financial support Supported by the neighborhood

30 — INSPIRING BOOKLET

time. The project will be evaluated after a maximum period of 6 months. Positive experiences may lead to structural improvements.

‘Join in’ is the ‘ready-to-use’ part of the ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project: it includes a range of initiatives that are easy to set up and that you can subscribe to with your neighborhood.

It is the fastest way to revitalize the community live. The offer is quite extensive and includes community gardens, little free libraries, bulletin panels, street and neighborhood block parties, Neighbors’ Day ...

You will find all useful information and subscription forms on the following website www.leuven.be/komopvoorjewijk.

Or simply call 016/27 26 16.

CREATE

EXPERIMENT

JOIN IN

Come up with your own idea

Test your idea for a certain period of time

Subscribe to one of the ‘ready-to-use’ projects

15 February and 15 September

No deadline

No deadline

Up to 18,600 euros

Logistic support

Logistic support

Min. number of signatures required: 12

Min. number of signatures required: 12

Min. number of signatures required: 12

Practical

INFORMATION

WE WISH TO THANK All our fellow-citizens who have participated in the ‘Stand up for your Neighborhood’ project for their commitment and their active contribution to realizing this booklet.

Our colleagues from the other city departments for their cooperation before, during and after the execution of the selected projects.

The members of the assessment committee for their objective and careful evaluations.

Photographs made by: Uschi Claes (Giant Richard II) Annie Vercruysse (Solvaystraat) Eric Dewaersegger (little free libraries De Pit and Jaartallenpad) Vicky Bogaert (Lange Lostraat, zon in Putkapel, Sint-Servatiusstraat en Riddersstraat) Part one of this booklet catalogues all Stand up for your neighborhood projects realised between 2008 and 2012. You can still get a copy.

City of Leuven, gebiedsgerichte werking Prof. Van Overstraetenplein 1 3000 Leuven Tel. 016 27 26 16 komopvoorjewijk@leuven.be www.leuven.be/komopvoorjewijk www.facebook.com/komopvoorjewijk

RESPONSIBLE EDITOR: Alderman Bieke Verlinden, Prof. Van Overstraetenplein 1, 3000 Leuven