I have taken note of the College’s decision not to relocate the children’s play module from Rue de la Gare to Place du Roi Vainqueur, which was the subject of a public notice last month. I regret this decision.

I also note the announcement, in that same communication, of an increased presence of the peacekeepers during school dismissal hours on Place du Roi Vainqueur to remind people that ball games are prohibited on this square.

Will the peacekeepers present on Place du Roi Vainqueur pay as much attention to dog owners as to children in order to address the plague of dog droppings in this shared space, where children must constantly navigate between dog waste?

I would like to point out that Place du Roi Vainqueur is located in the immediate vicinity of two schools and two childcare facilities, whose users are not necessarily local residents. The square is heavily frequented at the end of the day and has naturally become a meeting point and outdoor play area for children after school, whether we like it or not.

Have the parents and other users of the schools and childcare facilities around the square been involved in the citizen consultation regarding the project to relocate the playground?

I must therefore conclude that, in response to the request to strengthen the facilities available for young children in the neighbourhood, the result of the College’s decisions is the announced disappearance of a playground and the reprimanding of children present on Place du Roi Vainqueur during school dismissal hours.

Hence my question: what place do we leave for children in our municipality when they are considered a non-priority category, or worse, a nuisance?

What message are we sending to parents of young children about Etterbeek’s ability to meet their most basic needs — that of having an outdoor recreational space?

The suspension of the RHOK construction site following an appeal by concerned neighbours before the Council of State will postpone the redevelopment project of this block for a few months. This will not bring back the illegally felled trees, but it does give us time to reflect on the infrastructures needed in the neighbourhood, particularly those intended for very young children.