Wervik (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Wervik will invest €45 million over 6 years, including a €11 million Oosthove hall, Tobacco Museum study (€50,000), safety upgrades, and Mayor Your Casier oversees planning.
As VRT News reported, the city of Wervik, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium, will invest €45 million over the next 6 years in public projects. A key project is a new multipurpose hall at Oosthove, which will cost more than €11 million. The hall will host sports, cultural events, and community activities.
“The previous hall has been there since 1968 and is completely outdated,”
says Mayor Your Casier (Vooruit).
“The fact that a new hall is coming is what our residents and associations will feel most about the multi-year plan.”
What are Wervik’s plans for the Leie River museum safety and infrastructure?
Wervik’s location along the Leie River is highlighted in the investment plan. The city will use the riverside for recreation and urban development. The plan also includes upgrades to roads, public spaces, and local infrastructure.
“The banks of the Leie have now been almost completely redeveloped. We asked the intermunicipal company Leiedal to draw up a visual quality plan for those banks. We are convinced that we can still realize new projects along the Lei.
We must continue to cherish the river, because by investing in its surroundings, we attract more residents and businesses, and therefore also more income.”
The Tobacco Museum on the Leie River is part of Wervik’s multi-year investment plan.
“During this administrative term, we will conduct a study on the museum’s future, because it’s outdated. And let’s be honest: the negative atmosphere surrounding tobacco isn’t doing us any good.
But we still want to continue investing in our heritage, whether it’s tobacco or our Roman past.”
The city has set aside €50,000 for a study of the museum. Officials say the study will help improve the site, protect the city’s heritage, and attract more visitors. The museum project is one of several initiatives to enhance public and cultural facilities in Wervik.
“Crime is rising in our border city. Naturally, we will continue to invest in the Arro Ypres police zone. We also hope that the higher authorities will hear our call for more cross-border cooperation.
We are recruiting community guards ourselves and expanding our camera network. We currently have around 140 cameras in our area, but that number will increase to resolve cases even faster. We are also investing €500,000 in average speed cameras.”
Safety and finances are also a priority. Wervik has not raised the supplementary personal income tax or the property tax surcharge for 24 years, and this will continue in the coming years.
“There will be a tax on pylons and masts, for example, from telecom operators or electricity companies. But that won’t affect our residents wallets.”
To fund the new projects, the city will need to borrow more money. Opposition parties warn that another major crisis, such as a COVID surge or energy shock, could strain the city’s budget. Mayor Casier understands the concerns but says the city is planning carefully to keep public services and finances stable.
“Of course, I hope inflation doesn’t skyrocket again, as it did in 2022. But as local governments, we really must keep investing. If we don’t, the economy will collapse. Sewers, roads, a hall for our clubs: these are essential investments for our residents, not prestige projects,”
Casier concludes.
Every city in Flanders must have a multi-year plan by the end of the year. The plan shows the city’s priorities and explains how money will be spent. It turns political agreements into a clear strategy and guides projects, investments, and daily operations.
The plan also forms the legal basis for all income, spending, and investments of the municipality. Officials say the plan helps residents understand the city’s goals and ensures transparency and accountability in local governance.
