Clearly, Désiré Willems does not lack imagination. Last winter, he made several Christmas trees from cans found along the roads, to raise awareness about cleanliness. He repeated the experience on Valentine’s Day with… a giant heart.
This time, he created a walk approximately five kilometers long in his village, in Hodeige, in the commune of Remicourt. “We used to go for walks with my wife and Thor, our dog. Over time, we knew the land consolidation routes well.” So, they decided to return to explore the heart of the village. “And we discovered that there were lots of little trails, really nice.”
And over time, they ended up knowing every corner, or almost, of Hodeige. “There are lots of really pretty places.” So, he decided to create a real walk that uses all of the village’s trails. “It also passes through a grove. As there was no path at the base, I took my pruning shears to clear the way.” In this little wood, he also added a swing, “to allow children to play”. And while we’re at it, he even added a bench, so parents can take a breather.
Speaking of benches, he also placed another one a little further along the route. “Basically, I wanted to place it along the trail. But the mayor told me that the land belonged to a farmer, that we couldn’t do what we wanted.” So he put it on top of an embankment right next door, on public property. “And in the end, it’s even better. From there, you have a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside.” For now, it can be accessed via a makeshift staircase, made with stones. “But we will soon put in steps worthy of the name.”
And how does the Municipality see the fact that benches and a swing are popping up almost everywhere in the public domain? “It is an initiative that is very appreciated. I was also asked to join the PCDN (Editor’s note: Communal nature development plan).” His ride is even about to be made official. “We will soon receive real signage at the Terres de Meuse tourism center.” And in the meantime, so that people can follow the route, which starts at the football field, he painted the ground with orange spray paint. Next to the arrow, we always find the letter “T”. “That’s because we called the ride “Thor’s Ride”. He deserves it. If he hadn’t been there, we would never have gone to explore the area.”
But there is also a way to follow this walk via Strava. Simply by typing “Thor’s Ride” in the search bar.
QR Codes… in zovoort
Désiré Willems still has plenty of ideas in mind. “I am also a member of the CCATM. I participated in the census of the village’s small heritage. We will soon install QR codes in different locations. People will then be able to easily access explanations.” He also intends to collaborate with neighboring communities. “We have been in contact with Infrabel for a while because we would like to use the strip of land which runs along the TGV line to create a path which will join those of Crisnée. We would also like to set up a similar project with Oreye. They want to create walks.”
Get people out of their homes
This is all obviously very good. But why, after creating the itinerary, not have kept it “secret”, to be the only one to benefit from it, without potential nuisance? “Simply because I like to share. And then, Hodeige is still a dormitory village. We need to encourage people to get out of their homes and go for walks. We have to go back to the times of Covid”, he laughs.
