Stuivenbergsite gardens open to the neighborhood from May, a summer bar opens in June (Antwerp)

In September last year, the Stuivenberg Hospital finally closed its doors after 140 years. Since then, the site with its large gardens has been abandoned. But that will change in a few days.

Since March, the city of Antwerp has again become the owner of the part of the domain where the general hospital was previously located (the psychiatric hospital did not move). “There was a legitimate demand from the neighborhood to open up the site as quickly as possible, especially the gardens, as open space in this district is scarce,” says Alderman of Urban Development Annick De Ridder (N-VA). “That is why the gardens located along Pesthofstraat will be opened from May 1.”

Summer bar

From May 1 to June 1, these gardens will be accessible every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Its opening and closing is arranged by Werkhaven, the social economy company of the city of Antwerp.

A small green zone will also be cleared at Lange Beeldekensstraat, to the left of the former emergency entrance. That zone is always accessible and will have a few benches.

In the meantime, the council has also approved the operation of a pop-up summer bar in the gardens. Manager of Café Zeppelin on Dam Square Ellen Pleysier will support this together with two other local residents.

“I lived near the Stuivenberg Hospital for a long time and dreamed of opening a café here, but the hospital’s move took too long,” she says. So she couldn’t pass up this opportunity. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

The summer bar will open its doors by June 1 and until the end of September. “We are always open from Tuesday to Sunday.” During that period, Pleysier will also be responsible for keeping the gardens along Pesthofstraat open and closed.

Two schools from the neighborhood can use another part of the garden for playing and gardening. A gardening project on hay bales will also be set up in the same section by some local residents.

Summer program

In the meantime, the city is working on a summer program that can take place in the gardens. “During the summer months, events and small-scale activities will be organized together with the neighborhood. Think of Music in the Neighborhood, a residents’ barbecue, a spectacle day, SAAMO that will broadcast the European Championship…”, says De Ridder.

The city is also continuing its search for a professional site manager who will be responsible for the temporary use and maintenance of some of the buildings and gardens from October. “We have already received a number of interesting proposals. We will soon make the final decision.”

In the long term, the former Stuivenberg Hospital should accommodate education, shops, homes, a daycare center and a park. “We want the spade to be in the ground by 2027,” says De Ridder. “As a city, we are committed to creating maximum publicly accessible greenery on the Stuivenberg site -3 of the 5 hectares- and a mix of functions that guarantees added value for the quality of life in the neighborhood. We hope this will allay the concerns of local residents.”

The summer program in the gardens will be available via www.antwerpenmorgen.be.