Jean Rey Square

This is a square against all odds: the underground storm basin would make a heavier construction on top very expensive. Moreover, due to the car tunnel to Leuven, the connection to Leopoldpark remained very narrow. The initially undeveloped square grew into a pleasant public space thanks to benches, computer-controlled fountains, and a weekly market. Although the Belview residence on the west side may be too tall, it adds a hospitality aspect with a terrace to the square and makes the area a place of rest.

The storm basin beneath the square is located on the path of the covered Maalbeek. The brook springs from a pond in the Ter Kameren Abbey and flows into the Zenne at the height of the Dockx shopping center, at the Van Praet bridge on the border of Schaarbeek and Laken. Along the brook were about forty ponds, mainly for fish breeding. Most ponds disappeared when the Maalbeek was covered starting in 1855 for hygienic reasons. One exception is the pond in Leopoldpark.

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