Editorial

Built in the 19th century to meet the needs of local trade and industry, the Roubaix and Espierres canals are now about to begin a new life thanks to mobilisation of the riparian population, the users, the elected representatives, and also thanks to the support of many institutional partners, in the first place the European Union.

A canal that is more attractive, cleaner, more pleasant to live beside and to look at every day; a more cohesive cross-border territory, more prosperity combined with a better quality of life; an area to discover for boaters and tourists from Europe and throughout the world. This is a perfect destiny for our canal. This is the future we have been working for.

The restoration works are on a large scale and the "Blue links" project is highly complex. Its demands are huge on the technical, economic, environmental and social levels. Our teams as a whole are taking on enormous challenges every day, and I am grateful to them for their painstaking work and their determination. They will also be expressing themselves in this editorial column throughout the project.

Less than one year after the beginning of the works, the situation is satisfactory: all the locks have been renovated as well as 3 footbridges; 1 bridge is back in operation and another movable bridge nearly finished; works on the towpaths are proceeding apace. The forthcoming large-scale works – water supply and dredging – will start in the middle of this year. In the surrounding area, the buzz of new opportunity is already in the air, and private investors are already moving in on the development of the land.

The works continue. The partners I am representing today will keep you informed as regularly as possible of works progress and developments.

In the meantime, I wish you all a splendid season along our canal.

Slimane Tir

Vice-president of Lille Communauté Urbaine
in charge of the Espace Naturel Métropolitain

Location of the canal in the waterway network of North West Europe
> See the maps on site

"Canal en fête en 2007"

TAKE PART IN THE EVENT!

You are a member of a not-for-profit  association… you have an artistic, cultural or social project in mind… You have some ideas or maybe a project concerning the waterway or its bankside areas and the cultural or tourist development of the riparian communities
Get in touch and participate in setting in motion a cross-border event  which will take place in September 2007 by registering your name in the call for projects issued by the partners of the Blue Links project.

Download the call for projects registration form on www.bluelinks2008.org.
Available from 15 June 2006. Deadline for receiving submissions: 15 September 2006 at 5 pm.

Works update

Footbridges

The works on the Denis footbridge at Marcq en Baroeul, the Carliers footbridge at Tourcoing, and the Halage footbridge at Wasquehal have now been completed. The Wattrelos footbridge at Roubaix has been removed, and repair works are currently in progress.

Bridges

Works on the Nouveau Monde fixed bridge have been completed. The Espierres bridge in Tourcoing is in the process of being repaired. The new steel deck for the Grande Vigne bridge was installed in May. > more 

Locks

The Wallonian regional authority started works on the locks on the Espierres canal in March.
For its part, VNF has completed its structural renovation works on the various locks.
The electrical control cabinets and operating equipment have been installed on the French side. The restored (and now ornamental) paddles have been delivered and installed. > more

Bank protection works started in early May at Leers (F) and are continuing in the direction of Roubaix.

Paths 

An initial section, from the Deûle to the centre of Marcq-en-Baroeul, has been completed. Work is still in progress on the Tourcoing branch.
> more

Voix d’eau

Emilienne or childhood canal memories 

Once upon a time, a two-and-a-half year old little girl lived on a farm next to the Espierres canal… Emilienne Vandekerkove recalls her younger days, her memories and the happy times spent along the canal of her childhood. An authentic eye-witness account which gives an inkling of the happy moments that our children will now again be able to enjoy alongside this waterway.
> Read the account

Focus on … 

Marcq-en-Barœul

Thanks to the prospect of renewed navigation on the canal, the town of Marcq en Barœul is rekindling its ties with the river Marque and will make it a showcase item in its future developments. From the old ropemaking factory redeveloped as a multi-media lending library to the refurbishment of the historical town centre and including other projects sponsored by local economic players, the banks of the Marque Urbaine are becoming a focus of attraction.

Here and there

Crosscut, sustainable development of inland waterways

Crosscut is a European-funded study programme, the main aim of which is to analyse innovative experiments and solutions with regard to inland waterways. In particular, the programme studies the risks of conflicting aims of redeveloping the canals for pleasure boating and leisure activities while in parallel preserving the ecology and biodiversity of the environment. > read article

Experts are dealing with

Pleasure boating facilities 

A group of international experts has been formed in the context of the Blue Links project in order to exchange and share their knowledge and experience. They are currently assessing the "pleasure boating facilities" aspect. Where should these facilities be located? What type of bollards should be chosen? What type of quay should be built? etc. The discussions are in full swing and the results are expected shortly.

Things to see and do

With the fine spring days, activities along the canal are blossoming once again. The month of May will be rich in discoveries.
Don't miss: Saturday 8 July and Sunday 9 July : Les Rendez-vous du Canal.
Information : Espace Naturel Lille Métropole 03 20 27 94 40

For more information, see Le carnet de l’explorateur

Reference

The Blue Links programme

The Blue Links European programme is a works programme designed to reopen the Deûle – Escaut link for navigation.With a total length of 28 kilometres, the Roubaix - Espierres canal links 11 communes from Marquette to Espierres-Helchin, passing by Marcq-en-Baroeul, Wasquehal, Croix, Tourcoing, Roubaix, Wattrelos, Leers, Estaimpuis and Pecq. > reed article

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