No interview this time, but a good local idea worth discovering. In Mont-Saint-Guibert, the municipality has created the first hub for American sports in Belgium: a multi-sport synthetic pitch designed to share a single large surface between several disciplines and optimise its use all year round.
Given tight municipal budgets, the Mont-Saint-Guibert team chose a rational and replicable approach: sharing a single pitch rather than multiplying infrastructure. The aim: to provide decent facilities for sports that are less well known here, while allowing a football club from a small municipality to play in good conditions.
How does it work? The site brings together, on a single surface, the markings and equipment for four sports: baseball, softball, American football and soccer. Management works “like a sports centre”: slot-based scheduling, a clear allocation system, and three clubs using the infrastructure daily. The pitch is also accessible to the American football federation.
A well-managed investment. The project amounts to €1,450,000, subsidised 75% by Infrasports and with €200,000 from the Province of Walloon Brabant.
Responsible technical choices. The pitch is state-of-the-art, meets environmental requirements, and features LED lighting and cork infill (rather than traditional granulate), a first in Belgium for a multi-disciplinary hub of this kind.
Concrete results. All clubs have seen their membership numbers increase, and the infrastructure allows them to organise large-scale events. Shared use delivers an overall efficiency gain, high user satisfaction, and has brought the project widespread media coverage.
This initiative illustrates values dear to the MR: budgetary efficiency and accountability through shared management in the service of sport for all.
The Local Elected Representatives Support Unit is relaunching the Good Local Ideas initiative. If you have implemented a concrete, replicable and useful project in your municipality, share it with other MR representatives!