Hang-out: Marius Renardpark

Why do you come here?
“Mostly to do sports. I find it quiet and restful. People come here for walks and sports, and we can just do our thing. What I really like about this place is that there is so much space. Nobody ever bothers us here.”

You come all the way from Elsene/Ixelles?
“Yes, but it is worth it. There is a lot of space and air, which is harder to find in Elsene/Ixelles.”

How often do you come here?
“Over the past three months, we’ve been coming quite often. I usually come here with my brother, with friends, or with a colleague, to play sports together. Lately, I have mostly been training with my brother. I am his boxing trainer.”

Are there other places that you could go?
“I suppose I could go to the Ter Kamerenbos/Bois de la Cambre or the Park van Vorst/Parc de Forest. They are slightly closer. But the most important thing is the space. It is much more difficult to concentrate in crowded places. I think this is one of the quietest places.”

Is it always so quiet here?
“There are more people over by the pond. That’s why I always stay on the other side of the park.”

But we are right beneath the major ring road.
“I think that is the only downside to this place. There is probably quite a lot of pollution here. But I don’t think the situation is much better elsewhere in Brussels. We are never far away from all the cars.”