Pajottegem (Brussels Morning Newspaper): The new municipality logo of Pajottegem is revealed today. This took place during the residents’ drink when the inhabitants of Galmaarden, Gooik, and Herne could celebrate the beginning of the year together for the first time. Another was the memory box, which was filled with all sorts of things.
After months of Galmaarden-Gooik-Herne cooperation, the new municipality of Pajottegem decided to launch its logo at the residents’ drink on the first of the year 2025. Mayor Kris Poelaert focused on the involvement of members of society as members of the audience also brought small items to be placed in a box that would be opened in 2050. Everyone wants to be together, and that is why such symbolises the village’s twelve, being hopeful of a united future. Mr. Kris Poelaart, mayor of the city, applauded the turnout and was glad that people were appendages to the untold story of Pajottegem. The new logo features a stylised “P” connected to a wavy line, symbolising both the heartbeat of Pajottegem and the connection among its twelve villages and rolling landscapes. In fact, the colour combination of yellow and green was adopted so as to represent the general theme of the natural environment of the area. People were asked about the merger, and most agreed that it is needed for the monetary situation and the quality of the service to be enhanced. Linda stated that people from neighbouring zones came to Strijland to join the living together plan, so the neighbours would have become friends and families in any case, as Melissa from Tollembeek noted.
Aptly for the event, which took place on December 5, people were encouraged to put something into a box, which will be opened only on January 5, 2050. The donations received included pictures of village scenes, a bottle of gueuze, the sash of an old mayor, and a marriage certificate to boot. The idea as formulated for this endeavour of implementing this initiative is to ensure that residents of this area have a physical linkage with their past and future in Pajottegem.
The Formation of Pajottegem and Its Significance
In the context of local governance, the formation of Pajottegem can be regarded as a further evolution that unites previously functioning independently municipalities. These economic benefits, such as efficiency and the ability to deliver better services to the people, are the reasons that led to the merger. Through the centralisation of resources and rationalisation of administrative procedures, Pajottegem envisages the improvement of public services, as well as increased participation in the community.
In the past, there have been rabid reactions towards mergers of municipalities, but surprisingly, in the case of Pajottegem, there is an acceptance of the reasons behind it. Some members also know that through synergy, it is possible to enhance the physical necessities of a city, including efficient management of funds. The logotype is not just an identifier of the organisation; it represents the dream of a society that aims to become united and work together.
Future problems for Pajottegem are rather traditional for organisations that have experienced a merger; they have to combine the two different cultures and practices while preserving their specific characteristics. However, this is not entirely true because the residents’ drink is an example of creating a willingness to be jovial together and to build something for the future. The memory box that will be sealed represents the residents’ hope for continuity of memory and collective journey in this new phase. This is due to the constant attempt to involve the citizens in the running of the municipal as well as community activities that is making Pajottegem the potential example of the successful integration of the municipal in Belgium.
