A redevelopment of Avenue Stalingrad is planned. The Public Spaces department of the City of Brussels presents 3 scenarios to a citizen panel from the area concerned. Panel members give their personal opinions on these scenarios. In addition, an online survey aims to consult the entire neighborhood.
Problems and objectives
Since 2020, the first phase for the construction of metro line 3 has been underway. The vast majority of work related to the construction of the new Toots Thielemans station and the creation of new metro tunnel sections to connect to the existing pre-metro tunnels, takes place on Stalingrad Avenue. This has a significant impact on the daily lives of traders and local residents.
The Avenue’s redevelopment objectives:
Take into account the mobility of active modes by complying with the objectives and planning principles of the Magistrales Pétonnes of the Good Move regional mobility plan
Strengthen the attractiveness of Avenue de Stalingrad and accentuate its role as an entrance to the Pentagon from the Gare du Midi, the gateway
Increase landscape quality by recreating a regular alignment of tall trees and increase biodiversity by creating areas planted in several layers
Strengthen the mix of uses by reconciling commercial activities with the other uses and functions of the avenue.
History and context
The redevelopment project for Avenue de Stalingrad is part of the major challenges of the dynamics of the Midi district and the Pentagon, which also includes metro 3, currently under construction under Avenue de Stalingrad.
Avenue de Stalingrad is located on the territory of the City of Brussels, within the Pentagon. It is an important North-South connection to the city center because it is a real link between the Gare du Midi and the historic center (including the Grand-Place, the Sacred Island, etc.). The continuation of Avenue de Stalingrad is Rue du Midi which leads directly into the historic center.
Initially heavily used by motorists, Avenue de Stalingrad has been redesigned to be an attractive and lively place for residents as well as any other user of public space (walkers, children, tourists, cyclists, traders). It is therefore a real gateway that will be created.
In order to be able to offer a renovated space following the surface work, the City of Brussels organized a participatory process before submitting a planning permit.
Organizing, supporting and financing organizations
City of Brussels
Recruitment and selection of participants
A call for applications has been launched to compose a citizen panel of 16 people. Direct contacts were made with stakeholders who could respond to the ideal panel model.
Flyers were distributed directly to inform citizens of the online survey and the information meeting.
A qualitative citizen dialogue is envisaged through a citizen panel composed of:
- 6 economic players including
o 2 retail businesses (grocery store, market gardener, small food store, etc.)
o 2 hoteliers
o 2 horeca (catering and café)
- 6 residents including
o 1 cyclist
o 1 pedestrian
o 2 motorists
o 1 public transport users
o 1 PMR
- 1 representative of a merchant association
- 1 representative of a residents’ association
- 1 representative of a sports association
- 1 representative from a school
Methods and tools used
At the start of the process, the members of the panel agree on the redevelopment priorities through a soft-step exercise, a “deep democracy” technique. This exercise will make it possible in a later phase to align the development options with the chosen priorities. It will also make it possible to justify the choices made by the different development options.
In parallel with the panel, an online survey is used to survey all residents and users of the neighborhood. This makes it possible to complement the qualitative work of the panel with a quantitative consultation of the neighborhood.
What happened: processes, interactions and participation
Here are the steps of the participatory process:
11/17-12/13: online survey on the basic principles to take into account for redevelopment.
11/20/2020 : get to know panel members, define practical meeting arrangements
11/28/2020 : the panel indicates the redevelopment priorities, expresses itself on the preferred options, according to urban constraintsistics which will be clearly communicated to them.
02/12/2020 : the city presents the chosen option, it presents the provisional results of the quantitative survey, the members enrich the options on the development of public space
01/12/2021 : public meeting to present the development project
Influence, results and effects
The members of the panel defined the main “guidelines” of the redevelopment which would fuel future discussions, namely:
- Wide sidewalks
- Greening the neighborhood
- Separated cycle path
- Mobility: access to the neighborhood and reduced traffic zone
- More road safety and security
- More cleanliness
- A sufficient number of parking spaces and delivery areas
These beacons were transmitted to the urban development department of the City which produced the urban planning permit file.
Final result :
The members of the panel made an explicit choice for a green district, a widening of sidewalks and more road safety, but there was a diversity of opinion among members on a specific pedestrian space in front of the Palais du Midi and the maintenance of places of parking lots. This was also reflected in the public meeting.
As for the redevelopment project submitted in order to obtain planning permission, it takes into account the principles discussed:
- an avenue completely on one level with spaces to rest, with in the center of the avenue the only lane accessible to motorists .
- The space that has been recovered will be returned to biodiversity, businesses and active modes.
- The numerous businesses on Avenue de Stalingrad have an important place in the project. In order to give them the best possible space, terraces on the facade side with an additional space delimited by the planting pits (2.4m + 2.8m), which makes them compatible with other uses (pedestrians walking).
- The avenue will also be punctuated by two centers : a square in front of the Palais du Midi, highlighting its remarkable facades with benches and a water fountain, and a small square at the future Toots Thielemans metro station where there will be the Pasionaria artwork.
Analysis and lessons learned
Several types of consultations were considered through this participatory process: a panel consultation, an online consultation (survey), a dialogue with the neighborhood. The added value of a citizen panel is manifested rather when a higher level of participation (co-construction, co-decision) is envisaged.
Given that each member of the panel could also express (in soft steps) their preference for one or the other of the 3 scenarios, there was a juxtaposition of opinions and not consensus decision-making.
external links
https://www.bruxelles.be/stalingrad?_ga=2.201385046.614468166.1702455951-675723565.1692799549