Herelbeke (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Harelbeke, led by Mayor Michaël Vannieuwenhuyze, celebrates local cyclists with a special E3 Saxo Classic prize. The projects include Bavikhove (finished in two years) and acquiring Mill Island. Parking near the train station faces uncertainty.
Harelbeke, a city in Belgium, is passionate about cycling. Several famous cyclists are from there, like Yves Lampaert, Vito Braet, Arjen Livyns, and Gerben Thijssen. The mayor, Michaël Vannieuwenhuyze, wants to celebrate them. He’s added a special prize in the E3 Saxo Classic race for the first Harelbeke cyclist to finish.
He mentioned that the winner would get a prize and be on stage. The mayor wants the whole city to cheer on their local riders, so he’s asking people to put up banners. He’s going to do a sports challenge himself to show his support.
How is Harelbeke’s mayor transforming the city and community?
Harelbeke is working on a big plan for the city. The motor mentioned that they want to make things better for everyone who lives there. One of the biggest projects is building a new place called Bavikhove. It will have sports, culture, and places to relax.
They started building it on February 2nd, 2025 and want it to be finished in 2 years. The city also wants to own Mill Island. The Flemish government owns it, but Harelbeke wants to take care of it so everyone can enjoy it.
Harelbeke wants to bring people together in their neighbourhoods. They encourage people to have parties and events to make everyone feel like they belong. The city is also thinking about the parking lot near the train station.
The train company owns it, and they might start charging people to park there. The city wants free parking, but they can’t decide what will happen. The motor mentioned that Harelbeke is working hard to make the city look good and make everyone feel happy.
The mayor said for example:
“The parking is owned by the NMBS. We want to keep it free, but if NMBS decides otherwise, there is not much we can do about it. Of course, it has an impact on the parking spaces around it. They are still free.”
Michaël Vannieuwenhuyze was an alderman before becoming mayor. Mayors have a lot of responsibility, like making sure the city is safe, planning things for the city, and taking care of the people who live there. Aldermen just work on specific things. The mayor is in charge of meetings with the council, making him the most important person in the city government. He’s been mayor for 6 years and can stay in that position for another six years.
“I have missed politics in previous years, yes. The fact that you can have an impact on your municipality is special. I want to be a mayor who is easily approachable and works in a connecting way. There also needs to be more atmosphere in Harelbeke,”
Says Michaël Vannieuwenhuyze.
