The government of Brussels has invited all communes in the area to submit proposals for new sporting facilities as part of a programme that will receive €43 million in financing over three years.
The Brussels Minister for Local Authorities, Bernard Clerfayt, said on Tuesday that all 19 municipalities can submit their proposals until 1 October this year, but the investment must be undertaken in their neighbourhoods where the sports infrastructure is most deficient.
There is a good offering of sports facilities in the region, but the supply has failed to keep up with requests as the population increased, resulting in some areas being deprived of opportunities to play sports and sports clubs often being fully booked before the start of the season.
Along with this, Clerfayl mentioned in the statement, “A real vector for socialisation, federalisation, education and personal development, sport contributes to general good health, stimulates self-confidence and instils values essential to living together. The practice of sport must become a right. Practising a sport should become a right.”
The initiative’s objective is to raise and better distribute the supply of sports facilities in the region, in turn ensuring more Brussels residents can practise a sport close to home.
The majority of the critical criterion for a project to receive funding is its location within the commune itself, more specifically, one that is more disconnected and where there are not many existing facilities, for example, in the city centre and parts of Forest and Saint -Gilles.
Moreover, the price that residents will have to pay to utilise the facility must also be harmonised, regardless of their municipality of residence.
Furthermore, project ideas will also be given an increase in subsidies based on other conditions, such as the energy performance of the building, and how accessible the building.
