Dilbeek (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Nieuwenbos welfare campus in Dilbeek reopened on October 13, 2025, 2 months after its September 12 closure for cockroach removal. Alderman David De Freyne and Mayor Stijn Quaghebeur confirmed the site is safe.
As VRT News reported, the Nieuwenbos welfare campus in Dilbeek, in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium, has reopened 2 months after being closed due to a cockroach problem. Alderman for Welfare David De Freyne:
“It took a while, but it was necessary to carry out a thorough treatment. This was also carried out by a professional firm. They announced last week that everything is under control. And the welfare campus can reopen.”
What led to the reopening of the Nieuwenbos welfare campus in Dilbeek?
The Dilbeek alderman for welfare confirmed that safety and hygiene were the main priorities before reopening. The recent treatments worked, and the professional firm gave the final approval to restart services. He mentioned that the municipality will now enforce tighter preventive measures, such as more frequent inspections and better maintenance, to stop similar problems in the future.
With the reopening of the Nieuwenbos welfare campus in Dilbeek, all organisations that had to leave during the closure have now returned to their usual places. The neighbourhood restaurant and the Agency for Growing Up (Agentschap Opgroeien) were among the services.
During the closure, the municipality arranged a temporary space at the Breugheldal campus in Itterbeek, where part of the building was still empty. According to Alderman De Freyne, this quick move made it possible for parents and children to keep visiting the agency while the main campus was being treated.
Now that the building has been confirmed pest-free, activities at Nieuwenbos have started again. To mark the reopening, the Dilbeek board of aldermen joined residents and staff for a lunch at the neighbourhood restaurant.
Mayor Stijn Quaghebeur:
“After an intense period, it’s wonderful to welcome everyone back. We hope that visitors, staff, and families will soon feel at home again and that we can continue our services in a peaceful environment. With lunch at the neighbourhood restaurant, we emphasise that everything is safe again and we’re also celebrating the reopening!”
The Nieuwenbos welfare campus in Dilbeek was closed on September 12, 2025, after a cockroach infestation was found inside the building. The closure led to the temporary move of several services.
The Dilbeek municipality quickly brought in a specialised pest control company to clean and treat the site. 2 full spray treatments were carried out in the following weeks to remove all pests. Inspections continued through late September and early October to confirm that the problem was solved.
