Sint-Niklaas (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): The redevelopment of Grote Mark in Mechelen bans vehicles closes underground parking until 2025 provides alternative parking and accommodates festivals during construction.
The first phase of the redevelopment of the Grote Markt which is Belgium’s largest market square has finished.It has been said that this is an important step in making the area more modern and attractive. Starting today new traffic rules are being introduced to make the square work better and look nicer. One key change is that vehicles are no longer allowed to drive around the Grote Markt. This change aims to reduce traffic jams and make it safer for people walking in the area. The underground car park under the Grote Markt will be closed until spring 2025. This means there will be fewer parking options so visitors and locals will need to find other places to park. These changes are part of a bigger plan to transform the square making it a livelier and more accessible space for everyone.
How will the Grote Mark redevelopment impact car accessibility?
Even with the changes in the second phase of the Grote Markt redevelopment the city council is still focused on keeping the city center accessible by car. Alderman for Mobility Carl Hanssens (N-VA) assures that there is still plenty of parking available above ground. He mentions that during the last phase of redevelopment when half of the underground car park was closed the other parking areas were mostly not full except during a few busy times. Hanssens points out that there are several other parking options for drivers such as the Heymanplein, Westerplein and Stationsstraat car parks among others. This availability of above-ground parking is meant to help lessen the impact of the underground car park closure and make sure that visitors can still reach the city center easily.
It has been said that the redevelopment of the Grote Markt will not greatly affect the annual Peace Festivals which will happen on September 6, 7 and 8. Even with the construction going on the festivals will still take place at the Grote Markt and some other central locations in the city. The contractor has made plans to adjust the construction area so that the events can happen without major problems allowing the celebrations to continue as planned. The city is making sure that the festivals which are an important cultural event can keep celebrating and involving the community even while the redevelopment work is happening. By changing the construction area the city wants to help the Peace Festivals succeed while still moving forward with the transformation of the Grote Markt.
