The residents of the provincial recreation domain De Schorre in Boom have mixed feelings about three weekends at Tomorrowland in 2022. “The most important thing now is that we officially receive the guarantee, via legal anchoring, that it is a one-off”, says Jan Dierckx, chairman of the district council Bosstraat-Hoek-De Schomme.
–
On Friday it was announced that the province of Antwerp has given the green light for the organization of three weekends Tomorrowland in July 2022, one-off and with a number of flanking conditions that mainly relate to the impact for the neighbourhood. This concerns a number of agreements regarding mobility and accessibility, opening hours, fireworks and measures such as canceling all own helicopter flights.
ALSO READ. Three weekends Tomorrowland next year: Antwerp province gives the green light
When the organization announced last year that it was considering three weekends, the neighborhood was met with skepticism. The neighborhood council then held a survey in the three neighborhoods in the immediate vicinity of De Schorre. “More than 800 local residents then indicated that they absolutely did not like it. Turn it or turn it, it causes nuisance,” says Jan Dierckx.
Etienne, Sandra, Jan, Nora and Leen at the petition last year. — © JB
–
“The flanking measures are in any case things that can help a little. We are now going to go through these thoroughly with the neighborhood council and see if there are any additional complaints. Normally we have a digital meeting about this next Wednesday. After that, we will continue to dialogue with the organization and the municipality to obtain the necessary guarantees.”
Open dialogue
“I think at this point where we are now there is little point in arguing legally, but it is better to try in open dialogue to make the best of this exception. The most important thing now is that we get the necessary guarantees for this. Because there is a precedent. A few years ago, the two weekends would also be a one-off. That turned out differently. That is why our express condition is that the charter, in which this one-off and the accompanying measures are laid down, is legally anchored,” says Dierckx.
“In the coming months we will therefore have some talks with the organization and the municipality to fine-tune everything. It must be said that Tomorrowland is open to our aspirations.”
— .
