About 100 local residents from Waterschei and Nieuw Texas gathered on Wednesday, 21 June, for oPEN Lab’s second neighbourhood party. The party took place at the central square in Nieuw Texas, and was largely organised by the residents (with some support from the oPEN Lab team). The neighborhood celebration revolved around the active involvement of local residents in orchestrating the festivities. It created a vibrant atmosphere of unity and community spirit as everyone came together to share in the experience.
The party celebrated the milestones of the oPEN Lab project. It also enabled the local residents to continue working further of the plans for the collective energy building in Nieuw-Texas. The artists of LUCA School of Arts showed a preliminary design of their artistic solar panel wall, which will be realised in the neighbourhood in 2024. Children enjoyed themselves on the bouncy castle and playground. Besides Genk street food and refreshing drinks, neighbours could also feast on free ice cream from the ice cart.
“oPEN Lab quite literally breathes positive energy into neighbourhoods. The project connects local residents and introduces them to neighbourhood workers. This neighbourhood party is the icing on the cake for that!” adds Alderman for Sustainability Toon Vandeurzen (city of Genk, oPEN Lab project partner).
