Flemish cities introducing jogging circuits
City Circuits will start popping up in cities and towns across Flanders, similar to the jogging routes now seen in forests and nature reserves
Post-lockdown surge in sport
Aalst will soon launch another City Circuit, right through the centre of town. The idea of the new initiative is to lower barriers to getting some quick exercise from home, work or school.
“This is the moment to encourage people to go running,” said Flemish minister of sport Ben Weyts. “Research has shown that up to half of all people in Flanders are getting more exercise and joining in sports now than before the lockdown.”
Varying lengths
All of the City Circuits will be loops; runners just follow the arrows on the ground to end back where they started. Jogging loops already exist in Flanders, but they tend to be located in forests and nature reserves, which are often too far outside cities for residents to quickly take to during the day.
The City Circuits will take joggers through city centres as well as outlying neighbourhoods. They will be of varying lengths, and there can be more than one per city. The three in Aalst are 1.9, 2.8 and 3.2 kilometres long. This allows for quick runs, but they can also be done one after the other for an eight-kilometre run.
The timing of the roll-out of the City Circuits has not been announced, but the next ones are scheduled to turn up in Izegem, West Flanders. The Flemish government initiative represent a total investment of €15,000.
Photo: The Stadslopen will be marked by arrows embedded in the pavement
©Thierry Roge/BELGA
