The best city hikes and walks in Houthulstbos

Toilets

The Krekemeersen is a green oasis in the centre of Kortemark. They form a natural buffer in case of flooding due to the retention basin that was constructed at the confluence of the Grijsperrebeek, the Kasteelbeek and the Spanjaardbeek. The area around the retention basin was given a multifunctional character in which water management, nature and recreation go together. A great place to discover!

The Krekebeek originates near Torhout as Spanjaardbeek and then bends westwards to Kortemark. The stream continues as Krekebeek or Krekelbeek south of Kortemark and Handzame. Beyond Handzame one speaks of the Handzamevaart. The canal flows between Werken and Zarren, and is largely canalized from there. This already happened in 1775. A little further on, the Oude Zarrenbeek flows into the Handzamevaart. The canal still flows between Esen and Vladslo, and finally flows into the IJzer in the city center of Diksmuide. Source: Wikipedia

In honor of the fallen of the 10th and 8/18th line regiments and the 4th Artillery, during the liberation ("retaking") of Kortemark, occupied by the Germans since mid-October 1914, on October 14, 1918. A bronze laurel wreath under this memorial plaque, containing a palm branch with '918 - 196' written on it, has disappeared.

The town hall has been located here since June 17, 2000, in a stately mansion that was built in 1899 by the Kortemark brewer Bonte-Rommelaere. At the top of the facade it says "Aurora". This refers to the canning factory that Aimé Talpe founded in Amersveldestraat in 1907. The house is therefore known as "Mansion Aurora". The Aurora cannery (whose buildings were demolished in 2015) later adopted the name "Star", a name that sounds much more familiar. Later the company was taken over by Bonduelle. Sources: https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/erfgoedobjecten/91088 https://westhoekverbeeldt.be/ontdek/detail/f17418c1-92de-aada-9ccc-55781e785ac6

The station, which was built in 1858, has had no ticket offices since 2013. Since 2018, the station has housed the inclusion project De Stoasje, a collaboration between Sociaal Huis van Kortemark, Sint-Jan de Deo from Handzame and Tordale in Torhout. In 'De Statie', people with disabilities from Tordale and Sint-Jan De Deo perform simple tasks every week for residents, associations, services and train passengers. The station, which the municipality now leases from the NMBS, has an attractive waiting area (including a mini library), accessible from the platform with a push-button operated electric door. Since 2021, a mobile point with 10 (electric) shared bicycles has been located next to the station.

Mansion, still in its original state, of the Basyn family. Behind the house stood the third highest mill in Flanders in the 19th century: a wooden mill on top of the hull of a former stone mill. Because it was unprofitable, it was demolished in 1897. The street name refers to that mill (and therefore also to the name of the family). In 1916 the house was occupied by the staff of the 51st Reserve Division and damaged in 1917 by shelling during the third battle of Ypres. Source: information board on site.

A relaxing park (1.5 hectares) built in 2008-2009, directly opposite the O.L.V. Church, which makes it a beautiful village center. A proud resident of Oostnieuwkerke told me that this was "skone for weddings", because "wedding photographers in (nearby) Westrozebeke (which also redeveloped its village center at the beginning of this century) had to take out special insurance, because they were on the busy road there." had to stand." Sometimes chauvinism is an endearingly funny thing :-) In the park there are two statues by artist Maen Florin (°1954): one on the steps close to the church, one at the other end of the park, near the mirror pond. Two silent, introverted figures, in response to a quote from J.P. Sartre, which served as the starting point for a competition organized by the municipality: "I am alone in a park, projecting my feelings onto the landscape surrounding me. Suddenly I see a human being who is observing me. In that moment I become an object defined by the other. The experience of emptiness brings our situatedness into the world, our commitment to others is expressed. A person must constantly carry that emptiness with him in order to be permanently aware and to express his commitment to his fellow human beings." Source: https://andymalengier.be/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Artikel-Groencontact-1.pdf