Gathering in Muizen

Gathering in Muizen

How do we build the square together?

Can all voices be present?

How do we want to live together democratically?

How do we engage in dialogue?

Can all voices of Muizen be heard?

Do things like the square also have a voice?

How do we make the square together?

How do we build the square together?

we are now going to start with the first part

it's actually a referendum

about the square we're sitting on now

the idea is that later we vote on the proposals

so you got the program

you see there is a band at the top

and that you, every page has a color

and actually you see those colors here as well

from yes to no

yes?

so it's actually kind of gradual voting

but that will become clear later

I think we can just start by watching the first video

hello, I'm Kris Mys

with our archituctural office, by now 15 years ago

we renovated the dorpshuis and built the square

we set up the zocalo

an idea from Mexico, where not only in Mexico city

but also in small towns, small villages even

there's always such a zocalo, something like, a pedestal in Dutch

so a base

to say, this where public life, community life

social dynamics have their place

we had hoped that the school and the classes and the children

would make use of that

then there was the red cross

then there were studio's over there

which actually could open themselves towards the edge

we wanted to get rid of that gate

an additional access

we wanted to get rid of that door

an extra passage to everything behind it

that the square becomes really porous and crossable

and an intersection of roads and people

so the question is, very simple: should we open up more entrances to the square?

yes, I heard the gentleman say something about that gate

that there would be access to what's behind it

but behind that is just the school playground

as a parent of someone from the school, of one of the children

I think that could be a good entrance

to connect the school with the playground

um, as long as the zocalo square isn't more accessible

meaning more usable

it doesn't make much sense to make more entrances there, I think

one, two, three

those are the full no's?

four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen

fourteen no's

ok, we move on to the second vote

rue-leaved saxifrage

that little flower?

yes

and if you look carefully, but you have to move a little lower

to the chalice, so the brown where the white comes out

that is, rue-leaved saxifrage, here you can see the best

yellow flowers right?

yellow flowers, yes, that's St. John's wort

that's a plant that's still used in

not only in folk medicine but also in official medicine it is still used a lot

against depression, among other things

it's something that is often found

is there room for weeds on the square?

the square is dangerous, I already fell once with my bike

it's been a while, I slid away

yes

with my front wheel and I was lying there

surely it is not the intention that plants grow here

I think the square has another purpose

because plants are allowed to grow but not on our square here

is my idea

about those plants, everyone has their own idea about that

if there is one thing that never happens here, it is maintenance

but the plants are burned away, which is a form of mainenance

if we talk about wildflowers

is there room for somewhere, a place for wildflowers?

because that's something else

since they have been working on concrete removal in our street

maybe there could be concrete removal here

and then there is also room for a real green area

are you ready?

everything in the air?

four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen

fifteen yeses I count

and the green, blue?

ah, sixteen!

yes, I'm Hilde De laet

I'm the principal of De Bel elementary school

that's a GO elementary school

so of course my dream is

we have a rather small playground

that the zocalo-square would be integrated into our school

yes, I do think that the square should be broken up

so that it is a cosy space

to sit together sometimes

and for the children to play

um, in the sense of, I also see sometimes children in other countries

are not locked up in a school either

that they can just use the public space as well

and I think about safety, that should not really be a problem

yes, I would like that very much

lowering the square, I don't know if that's possible

I don't see that as a problem immediately

yes, I think it should remain a square that is accessible and usable for everyone

that nothing should be put up to it, not for kids only or for elderly people only or for teenagers only

and about the removal of the concrete

something I think we should know

is that underneath there is a drainage that collects all the rainwater that falls here

in a large tank of 30000 liters

and the possibilities to use this water that is stored here

which are no longer there because they broke down the pumps because they no longer worked properly

and they cut the pipes

so all of that is gone

I am not saying that nothing should be done to the square

something has to be done

but there are possibilities

and the possibilities that are there should be used, I think

there are plenty of opportunities

there are a lot of smart people, smart designers

who can design this school, this space here

that it is safe for the children and still allow other people in

yes, my intention was

there is absolutely no place here where youngsters can hang around

I wonder, if there is a demand for a playground for children

um here on the square

why then your school playground isn't being opened to the public?

for filth, to pick it up

you should come and see what garbage there is here around

I have no intention of doing that every Monday morning

ok, that's clear

what I wonder is

people are turning Muizen into the center of youth

what about elderly people?

we don't have meeting places anymore either

everything is about the youth

green areas everywhere, playgrounds everywhere, what about the older people?

we have no stores, we have nothing anymore

twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen

nineteen definite yeses

fifteen definite no's

and the in-betweens

so cool and if you think about the square

if you would change it?

they want soccer here too

that there would be a little goal like that and a basket ring above it

can there be a basket ring on the square?

is the question

if no one has a comment

there's something that I've picked up

that maybe we could talk about

is the thought of possibly providing a roof here

on the square

if the square doesn't change thoroughly, what little things can you do?

I would like another swing or a bar

or a playground

a bar? not a café-bar?

but a bar to play at?

yes

we would like a roof here

because, we always have to stand there

and we often meet here with friends

so it would be better to have a roof here

you can do what you want with the zocalo

but if the townhall is always closed

I think it should include that

our local police-person, we don't know when he's here

you have to request everything online

please, 1 or 2 times a week

even if it is half a day

place someone to be at the townhall

and possibly hang the opening hours on the door so that people know what is going on

yes, I do want to join

we don't have a service center

as they have in Mechelen

and that is a service up to and including

well, absolutely, thumbs-up for that

but we Muizenaars have nothing

and will there be parking spaces?

because everywhere here parking spaces are disappearing

but none are being added

we ride our bikes a lot

but we have to be able to park our car somewhere

yes, since there is a lot of water under here, I would

I do not know if you have been in the south of Italy, in all those villages

when you get there you have a little fountain there

it's always nice when you can sit around a fountain

because there is water underneath

as they say

maybe they can make a nice little fountain here

and put benches around it and so on

that would also be cozier

ok, that's a nice one to end with

yes

if you want to say something, the alderman was here to listen too

but maybe you also want to respond

Wilfried, next week those pumps will be checked

for I did not know that there were pumps here

and that those pipes were cut

you never told me that

but now I know

so those will definitely be looked at

I think we can certainly do a lot more with this square than we do now

given some limited or fundamental adjustments without destroying things

that are actually there now

and we are definitely going to work on that

maybe I also want to say

Freek, who is behind the music, they will

translate the votes into flags

so later in the day you will see lines of flags appearing in those colors

and you can kind of see how many yes and no votes there have been