Harelbeke (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Harelbeke is restoring the Hazebeek stream to prevent flooding. Over 60% of the parking remains. Alderman Koen Opsomer leads the project, set for completion by end of October 2025.
The city of Harelbeke is making changes to prevent flooding. They are bringing the Hazebeek stream back to the surface, which will give rainwater more space to flow and soak into the ground.
They are also changing the parking lot next to the stream to use less asphalt and more materials that allow water to pass through. This will allow rainwater to seep into the ground rather than running off and flooding, according to Public Works Koen Opsomer for Alderman.
He further noted that the changes will also serve the environment by cooling the area, improving the area’s biodiversity, and improving the overall condition of the environment. Cities are now considering how to respond to climate change by employing natural characteristics such as streams to assist in their protection.
Is Harelbeke balancing flood protection and parking needs?
The city of Harelbeke is working on the Hazebeek area to help prevent flooding, but they also want to make sure people have enough parking spaces. The previous city council wanted to make the area greener by removing many parking spaces, but the current council decided to keep more parking spaces because they know people need them. More than 60% of the original parking spaces will still be available, so people can still park their cars.
The Harelbeke is going to incorporate permeable materials into the parking lot, so the rainwater can seep into the ground rather than flow away. Authorities indicated that works are progressing well and that the city anticipates all this to be completed by October 2025 end.
They mentioned that once it’s done, the area will be nicer to look at, better for the environment, and better able to handle heavy rain. The city is making sure that people can still get around easily while also protecting the environment.
According to the officials, for many years, the Hazebeek stream in Hulste was hidden underground because the town needed space for roads and parking lots. This was common in the past, but now climate change is causing more heavy rain, which puts a strain on the drainage system and makes flooding more likely. The city of Harelbeke is trying to fix this by bringing the Hazebeek back to the surface, a process called “daylighting.” This will allow the stream to help prevent flooding.
