#13: Reimagine Mechelen pt.2 - Nature As A Stakeholder in the Revival of the River Dijle

with
Mark Van der Veken (City of Mechelen)

This is part 2 of our trip to Mechelen in Belgium to find out how to give nature a voice in urban development. 🌱 The City of Mechelen in Belgium 🇧🇪 is reimagining the connection between water, public spaces, animals, plants, and people.

In this episode:

🌊 Why a river should be understood as an actor/stakeholder in urban transformation...

🌿 How empathy towards nature is essential for co-creating urban biodiversity...

🗣️ How to organise a citizen panel that ensures the voices of nature are heard in urban transformation projects...

💡 How taking into account the voices of nature requires empathy, knowledge, and “mildness”...

📜 How Mechelen’s Citizen Assembly developed over 120 recommendations for enhancing nature along the River Dijle...

More and more cities are reimagining their connection to rivers, ponds, and other water bodies. Historically, cities turned their back to the water, which was used primarily for economic purposes. In the 21st century, however, this perception has shifted significantly: water in cities is now seen as a source of livability and sustainability. 💧

The City of Mechelen has taken a groundbreaking approach to reconnect its inhabitants—humans, animals, and plants alike—to the water. As part of the “Water as the Source of Urban Public Spaces” project running from 2024 to 2027 (funded by the European Urban Initiative, Mechelen is radically reshaping the face of the city along the River Dijle, ensuring everyone has access to the water and making the more-than-human perspective a core principle of the transformation. WATSUPS demonstrates how the spirit and principles of the New European Bauhaus can be translated into local, innovative actions. 🏙️

More information and materials mentioned in the podcast: 

·      European Urban Initiative

·      Portico - The Gateway to Urban Learning 

·      Article: Beautiful, Sustainable, Together: Reimagining Mechelen’s Relationship with Water, Biodiversity in Urban Public Space while Tackling Gentrification