Did you know there was an entire stream hidden beneath Parklaan for years? Well, it is back at the surface now. The Geleenbeek, called the Keutelbeek in this stretch, flows visibly through the street again. Pretty remarkable when you think about it.
What exactly happened?
- The section between Voorstad and Engelenkampstraat is nearly finished
- The stream used to run through a large underground pipe and has now been ‘uncovered’
- Small bridges have been installed so homes remain accessible
- The stream has been made wider, helping with both flooding and drought
- Trees and water provide cooling and reduce heat stress in the city center 🌳💧
The contractor is now moving on to the next section: from Engelenkampstraat to Agricolastraat. The sewer system will be renewed and the street redesigned here too. Beukenlaan is also getting a new sewer and layout. Everything should be done by late 2026. Early 2027 there will be a final piece of sewer work on Agricolastraat, and then the entire Parklaan is complete.
Waterschap Limburg and the municipality are working closely together to keep disruption as minimal as possible. A little patience now for a much nicer neighborhood later.
This project is part of Corio Glana, a collaboration running since 2009 that is gradually redesigning the entire Geleenbeek valley from its source in Benzenrade all the way to Sittard. The city park was completed earlier as ‘highlight 20 phase 1’. What is happening now on Parklaan is phase 2 of that same highlight, a seventeen-year puzzle that is almost complete.
Source: Municipality
