Lembeek (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Flemish Environment Agency will redevelop the Kleine Zenne in Lembeek into the Zenneweide park, costing €1.3 million, with Alderman Benjamin Swalens and officer Kim Ceusters leading the project.
As VRT News reported, the Flemish Environment Agency will begin work this week to redevelop the Kleine Zenne in Lembeek, in the municipality of Halle, in the province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium. The Kleine Zenne is an old meander of the Zenne River.
The agency plans to deepen the river and restore its natural banks. This will help the river carry more water during heavy rains. It will also improve water flow and water quality. The redevelopment will cost €1.3M.
What will happen to Kleine Zenne in Lembeek?
The area between the centre of Lembeek and Lembeek Forest will be transformed into a public nature park. It is located between 2 landmarks: the historic castle park and the Malakoff Tower. The landscape will be green and natural. Residents will be able to walk along the river.
The former 3.8-hectare industrial site in Lembeek will be transformed into a green and watery nature park. The project is part of a larger landscape park development along the Zenne River, stretching from Lembeek to Buizingen.
N-VA Alderman for Nature and Environment Benjamin Swalens stated the redevelopment will make the residents enjoy almost 4 hectares of public greenery. He added that the residents of Lembeek already have the environment around them, but the new park offers way more room for walking and outdoor recreation.
The park will be named Zenneweide and will serve multiple purposes for the community. Project officer Kim Ceusters explained,
“It will be a place where the story of the Zenne comes to life.”
The redevelopment will combine ecological restoration with public access.
In 2018, sections of the Zenne River in Brussels were restored after being covered or altered for industrial use. The work created green spaces, walking paths, and habitats for wildlife. In 2020, the Durme River near Lokeren and Dendermonde saw old industrial areas turned into natural parks with reshaped riverbanks and wetlands.
