A day in Genk by ... Andrea Croonenberghs

In the meantime she has lived in Antwerp for longer than she lived in Genk. Nevertheless, these two cities still evoke a sense of ‘home’ for her.

Genk, the city where she was born, where she wore her school uniform with little enthusiasm, where she loved going to Scouts, had lessons in music, ballet and drawing, participated in diction and recital, went to her first parties (in the Rembrandt), had her first boyfriends, sang to an audience in 't Hikske, this is where her roots lie.

Skating on the Molenvijver in icy winter weather and coming home with frozen toes. Hanging out in cafés like Het Groot Ongenoegen, de White Light, De Vagant (where today they serve pizza’s instead of beer).

Frequent visits to the library ...
“The library then was fairly ordinary but the new library, which I helped to open, is astonishingly beautiful, a wonderful sample of modern architecture and a paradise for avid readers” says Andrea.

Her passionate interest in architecture was something she grew up with at home. She can’t quite get used to seeing the district around the city hall, which her father designed in the 60s, now filled with buildings.

Although she does greatly admire the Carbon Hotel, both inside and out.

In Andrea’s view you cannot get away from 'de charbonnage' (the coal-mines) in Genk.
Andrea says: "They produced very special housing estates I would really like to show to people who are not from Genk. And Genk has clearly become a multicultural city. The new use for the old coal-mine of Winterslag, now C-Mine, is exciting and can be compared with what is done with industrial archaeology in trendy cities like Glasgow and London. Nevertheless Genk has a relatively young history and because of this you might miss the background in the townscape. But if you have ever lived in Genk you cannot help but think of it fondly