Congolese commemorate their lost in Tervuren

In a stark reminder of Belgium’s colonial past, over 250 Congolese were forcibly brought to Tervuren for the International Exhibition held from May to November 1897. Displayed as if they were part of a human zoo, seven of them died during the wet summer of 1897. A commemoration honored their graves.

Tervuren talks politics on Thursday 3 October

Ahead of local elections, you have three opportunities to hear Tervuren politicians and new MEP Anna Strolenberg in action this week on Thursday, 3 October. The trio of debates in Tervuren, held in the lead-up to the local elections, cover youth issues, town council policies, and integration in Tervuren.

Tervuren’s African elephant back in full glory

The sculpture, made of reinforced concrete, was created by Albéric Collin (1886-1962) for the 1935 World Expo in Brussels. The elephant found its final home in 1938 on the iron sandstone pedestal. After the restoration, the statue has been returned to its original light gray color, instead of the cream white it had faded to.

Own plants first in Tervuren

Eigen plantjes eerst. Tervurenaars can once again purchase local plants through the Behaag Je Tuin initiative, running until 15 October. The project aims not only to increase greenery but also to provide habitats for bees, birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.

McDo majority looms after Tervuren elections

McDonald’s is set to secure a political majority in Tervuren following the upcoming elections, according to answers given by local political leaders to the newspaper De Standaard. This would allow a newly constituted town government to overturn the rejection by Vlaams-Brabant authorities, earlier this year, of McDonald’s second planning application.

Tervuren’s €279,000 bill for Duisburgsesteenweg

Residents along the Duisburgsesteenweg see little hope of any real solution to traffic problems once the luxury appartments are completed with an estimated 400 accompanying new cars to join. Town grandees appear not to have decided for widening dangerously narrow pedestrian and cycle path before handing over the plush Panquin appartments.

Merger: Overvuren, Terijse or Druivenstreek?

If lucky, Tervurenaars may get to choose a new name after the October elections. Following rejections of mergers elsewhere in Flanders, it is uncertain whether town grandees could trust Tervuren’s 14,164 voters with the weighty decision. And don’t forget the significant opposition to Tervuren’s last merger with Duisburg in 1977.

Date for Tervuren’s Vier-Armen cycle bridge

The cycle and pedestrian bridge over Vier-Armen is now expected to be placed over the weekend of 21-22 September. Logistics will be easier that weekend as Brussels holds a car-free day on Sunday 22 September. And the 290 ton bridge is expected to be officially opened towards the end of October, once all works are completed.

Tervuren’s summer festivals continue

Tervuren is gearing up for another music festival with ‘t Hof Tervuren starting on Friday 12 July, offering three days of free music ranging from funk, reggae, Jamaican ska, disco, pop, and more, including a performance by Mydonna. And there’s more to come over the summer from a music and foodtruck festival, Duisburg and Vossem festivals. There’s even the shooting of the film ‘How to Kill Your Sister’ in Vossem.

Tervuren’s historic bridge back in September

Works were delayed because the restoration of parts such as the balustrade, wind bracing, and brackets took longer than expected. “These components were found to be in worse condition than initially assessed, a discovery made after sandblasting off the old layers of paint,” Nele Heerwegh from Belgium’s federal property agency told Tervuren+.