Lier (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Lierse owner buys church next to Lisp stadium in Lier to convert it into a bed and breakfast for young footballers, part of a wider redevelopment plan.
The Mediahuis newspapers reported this, and VRT NWS verified the information. The real estate firm of Luc Van Thillo, who also owns the football team Lierse, bought the Sint-Jozef en Bernarduskerk, Belgium.
The winter chapel is being transformed into a site of pilgrimage and prayer.
“A bed and breakfast with about 10 rooms will be built in the side aisles of the church, including for young Lierse players,”
says Luc Van Thillo.
“It is often the first time that these players leave home. They can stay there, with someone to supervise. But people who would like to spend the night in a church are also welcome. Or football supporters who want to experience football tourism in a different way.”
“The central aisle will remain open and will become a space for receptions, concerts and parties. Anyone who wants to can rent the space. Of course, with respect for the faith and the building. We are not going to turn it into a disco.”
Visitors will be able to use the parking lot of the football stadium and go to the church via a slow route.
The winter chapel, a portion of the church, has been preserved as a place of prayer and pilgrimage.
“We are going to upgrade the chapel, which has often been empty up until now. The miraculous statue of Mary will be placed there and people from the neighbourhood will be able to come there to practice their faith, and we also want to attract pilgrims there, as it used to be.”
The church is still available for prayer services in July and August.
“In the meantime, the winter chapel is being prepared and people will be able to visit it from 1 September. The furniture will then be removed from the church. Prefab units will then be placed in the church, where the rooms of the bed and breakfast will be located. We are not going to break anything out or change anything in the structure of the church. Only water and drainage pipes need to be installed to and from each unit.”
“It is the first time that we are renovating a church. It is a unique project in a beautiful church and I am looking forward to getting started,”
Concludes Van Thillo. He expects that the bed and breakfast will be able to open this fall.
How will transforming the church into a bed and breakfast affect Lier’s local community?
By giving the church a new purpose, it keeps a significant historical and architectural monument from deteriorating as church attendance drops.
The transition honors the building’s spiritual history while reviving it and making it more relevant to the neighborhood by preserving and improving elements like the winter chapel as a place of prayer and pilgrimage.
Visitors may be drawn to Lier by the new bed & breakfast and event venue, increasing local tourism and assisting local establishments like eateries, retail stores, and cultural landmarks.
In addition to creating jobs and economic activity, hosting events and offering lodging will also boost the town’s vibrancy.
Similar initiatives in Belgium have demonstrated how renovated churches can serve as important community centers that provide space for local projects, cultural events, and gatherings.
