Deurne (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The symbolic foundation stone was laid for the Deurne-Noord campus near Bosuil Stadium, featuring a primary school for 500, a secondary school for 350, sports halls, and sustainable BEO energy systems.
As VRT News reported, near the Bosuil Stadium in Deurne, construction has started on the new Deurne-Noord education and sports campus. The symbolic foundation stone was laid at the site of the former Koningin Fabiola healthcare organisation, located at the intersection of Bosuil and Gallifortlei. Several preschoolers from De Groene Egel were invited to take part in the event and helped place the first stones. They will later attend classes in the new building once it is completed.
What will the new Deurne-Noord campus offer for students and the community?
Gonda Verhaert, director of the Antwerp Municipal Education Department, said,
“We’re building a primary school here.”
De Groene Egel, which is currently provided in Bisschoppenhofpark (with approximately 150 preschoolers), is being expanded to accommodate approximately 500 students. The new school will give children the opportunity to attend in the same setting from preschool until completing 6th grade.
“This means 350 additional places will be created for primary school, and that’s necessary,”
says Alderman for Education Nabilla Ait Daoud (N-VA).
“We’re seeing a decline in primary education in general, but Deure is an exception. There, the demand for places is very high.”
“In Deurne, the demand for places in primary education is very high.”
Councillor for Education Nabilla Ait Daoud (N-VA)
The Deurne-Noord education and sports campus will also include a secondary school for another 350 students.
“It will be unique because we’re going to focus on urban agriculture, focusing on plants, animals, and the environment,”
says Verhaert.
“We’re collaborating with Volle Grond, a cooperative with extensive expertise that helps us prepare young people for further education or the job market.”
Sustainability is a key part of the project. Alderman Ait Daoud said a BEO field, or Borehole Energy Storage, will be installed.
“This system uses geothermal wells to take heat and cold from the ground or store it back,”
she explained.
“It helps the building stay energy-efficient. The rooftops will be green play areas for children, which also improves insulation and manages rainwater.”
The campus will have 2 new sports halls, built with the city’s education department. Alderman for Sports Stijn De Rooster (N-VA) said the halls will serve multiple purposes.
“During the day, they will be used for gymnastics and physical education classes. In the evenings and on weekends, Antwerp residents can use them for sports,”
he said.
“In Deurne, we were behind on indoor sports infrastructure. We’ve built a fairly large gymnasium with the Spectrum School, and with this addition, we’re making significant progress in catching up in Deurne,”
explains Alderman for Sports Stijn De Rooster (N-VA).
Antwerp has carried out similar education and sports campus projects in the past. In Berchem, old school buildings were replaced with a modern campus that combines primary and secondary schools with sports facilities for students and the community. In Borgerhout, a former institutional site was redeveloped into a multifunctional education campus with classrooms, gyms, and outdoor play areas designed for energy efficiency and sustainability.
