Picnic the Streets ten years later

Picnic the streets 10 years later

In June 2012, a giant unauthorized picnic took place on the Place de la Bourse. It led to a deep and irreversible change of the centre of our city. Ten years later, you are invited to celebrate this fantastic victory of civil society by picnicing on the same spot on Sunday 12 June from 12.30 onwards.

Before that, on Sunday 12 from 10 to 12, we shall reflect together at the Cinéma-Palace (Boulevard Anspach 85) on what preceded Picnic the Streets and what followed it all the way to the present situation, on the plans for the future of the surroundings, and on how, here and elsewhere, bottom-up movements can contribute to the reconquest of our public spaces.

Registration: free of charge but obligatory no later than 8 June

Programme of the meeting of 12 June 2012 (in French and Dutch)  

Gerben VAN DEN ABBEELE (core group Picnic the Streets): From Streetsharing to Picnic the Streets
Joost VANDENBROELE (core group Picnic the Streets): 10 June 2012 and the reminder picnics
Fatima ZIBOUH (W100) : Le piétonnier comme espace d’inclusion radicale
Paul LIEVEVROUW (director SUM-Project): From the first plans to the real thing
Henri SIMONS (échevin de l’urbanisme Bxl 1995-2006): Pourquoi pas plus tôt?

Sofie VERMEULEN (Brussels Centre Observatory): The piétonnier’s main challenges 
Bart DHONDT/ An DESCHEEMAEKER (schepen & chef cab mobiliteit Bxl): the new mobility plan 
Nel VANDEVANNET (director Beurs-Bourse project): public & private plans for the Beurspalais 
Sven LENAERTS (head CSR Immobel) : private plans for the piétonnier
Teresa EPALZA (Coordinator Heroes for Zero Molenbeek): Picnic the Bridge 

Moderation: Nel VANDEVANNET & Philippe VAN PARIJS

Timeline of Picnic the Streets

Ten years ago, thousands of people picnicked here, without permission, in support of sustainable mobility and enjoyable immobility, and of an irreversible reconquest of our public space.

1. Background

25 June 1971: The English-language Brussels-based magazine The Bulletin organises a picnic on the Grand-Place in support of making it car-free. Parking on the Grand-Place was banned in March 1972, and all traffic from January 1991.

September 2000: NoMo-Autrement Mobile, a non-profit organisation made up of residents and academics, draws up a plan for a city centre with 50% fewer cars, including a pedestrianisation of the central lanes.   

22 September 2000 - 27 September 2003: The "Street Sharing" collective supports the NoMo plan and mobilises once a year at the Place de la Bourse.

2003: Beliris, the federal body responsible for financing the functions of Brussels as a capital city, commissions a study on the transformation of the central lanes, including a reduction in car traffic from 4 to 2 lanes, and grants a budget. With no effect.

2004: The Brussels City Council approves a project to transform the central lanes, which is not carried out.

2. Picnic the Streets

24 May 2012: An opinion piece published under the title "Picnic the Streets" in Le Soir, Brussel deze Week and The Bulletin calls for civil disobedience in the form of a picnic on the Place de la Bourse every Sunday throughout the summer.

10 June 2012: Two to three thousand people participate in a giant picnic on the Place de la Bourse following a call disseminated mainly via FaceBook.

16 June 2012: Mayor Freddy Thielemans authorises picnics on the Place de la Bourse every Sunday lunchtime in July and August.

July 2012 - June 2015: Succession of reminder picnics organised at the Place de la Bourse by "Picnic the Streets".

3. From decision to implementation

14 October 2012: Local elections. Several parties promise a more or less significant pedestrianisation of the central lanes.

4 December 2012: The majority agreement of the new College of Mayor and Aldermen provides for the pedestrianisation of the Place de la Bourse, Place de Brouckère and Place Fontainas and a small section of Boulevard Anspach

31 January 2014: Presentation by Mayor Yvan Mayeur of the project "A new heart for Brussels", including the almost complete pedestrianisation of Boulevard Anspach between Place de Brouckère and Place Fontainas.

29 June 2015: Start of the test phase of the new mobility plan: Boulevard Anspach is pedestrianised on a trial basis between Place de Brouckère and Place Fontainas and equipped with temporary furniture in the public space

October 2015: The consultation commission grants planning permission to the pedestrianisation project introduced by the City of Brussels.

November 2015: Following the terrorist attacks in Paris, a curfew is imposed in the centre of Brussels, with a major impact on the vitality of the car-free zone.

February 2016: End of the test phase of the mobility plan, deemed conclusive by the City.

22 March 2016: Brussels attacks: mourners gather en masse in front of the Bourse.

September 2016: Start of the work on the central lanes, mainly financed by Beliris.

February 2019: Inauguration of the Bourse-Grand-Place premetro station

July 2021: Completion of the work on the central lanes