Tervuren’s battle for the €100k mayor’s job

In Tervuren, two candidates are competing for the job of mayor, worth €100,000 per year. The ultimate decision isn’t solely in the hands of Tervuren’s 14,305 voters. The real question is which candidate — Flemish nationalist Marc Charlier or Flemish liberal Thomas Geyns — can secure the best deal with Groen’s top candidates in terms of key posts and policy agreements.

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 on 13 November

The restored wrought-iron pedestrian and cycle bridge on Keizerinnedreef in Tervuren park will be officially reopened on Wednesday 13 November 2024. From May 2023 to October 2024, the bridge was restored by the Régie des Bâtiments, with the financial support of the National Lottery.

Choosing Tervuren’s next mayor

Choosing the next mayor appears less about how Tervurenaars vote, but whether or not the party holding the balance, Groen Tervuren, once again opts for the N-VA or decides to favour Voor Tervuren, the local fusion between Flemish liberals and Catholics. Come what may, the choice of mayor appears limited to Flemish nationalist N-VA’s Marc Charlier or Flemish liberal Thomas Geyns.

Town hall launches the Tervuren app

The Tervuren app may not be for you if you’re still learning Dutch. The best thing is to use the federal app at https://mygov.be. Once fully developed, you should be able to access the same federal documents, also in English, French and German.

Tervuren gets mobile sunscreen dispenser

Skin cancer is one of the fastest growing types of cancer in Flanders. “As a municipality, we have a preventive role. That’s why we’ll use this mobile dispenser during activities and events,” says Lut. One in six Belgians faces skin cancer before the age of 75, mainly due to exposure to the sun.