What is it about?
Located opposite the church of Notre-Dame de la Chapelle, the Ursulines square was renovated in 2006 as part of the project to build a rail link between the Gare du Midi and the Gare du Nord, and is a great place for skateboarding, rollerblading and BMXing.
As part of the Jonction District Contract, a number of developments and property projects have been carried out in the area in recent years, including the new Jonction park, the development of Rue des Brigittines and the lower part of Rue de la Chapelle. The City of Brussels wishes to continue this dynamic by redeveloping the top of the Rue de la Chapelle to create a pleasant space linking the skatepark to the area around the La Chapelle church.
Covering an area of 3,300m², the City of Brussels is proposing to adapt the infrastructure to the current needs of skateboarders, with the addition of a mini-ramp, street modules, china-banks, and more. Storage and sanitary facilities will also be provided. For greater inclusivity, a mini-snakerun will be installed to provide a safer surface for beginners. Two kiosks will be put in place to reinforce the social nature of the site, in conjunction with the nearby youth hostel.
This redevelopment is also an opportunity to rethink the balance between roads and public spaces, leaving more room for green spaces and calming traffic by deliberately curving the road to slow it down. The extension of the green space is intended to improve the living environment by reinforcing the green fabric and providing integrated stormwater management systems, in particular by means of ditches.
What purpose?
This project meets the following ambitions and objectives:
- To rebalance and diversify the use of public spaces
- To address the lack of outdoor sports facilities
- To develop a strategy to reduce soil sealing in the City of Brussels and make its public spaces greener
- To expand the network of sanitary facilities
