From Huy to Amay, 20 km on rollerblades, June 19!

From Huy to Amay, 20 km on rollerblades, June 19! First event of a season where skating, whose inventor is from Huy, is in the spotlight. This year, the city of Huy will participate, for the first time, in the Belgium Rollers, a series of rollerblade gatherings that has existed since 2002 in Brussels, and 2003 in Namur, Liège, Ghent, or Koksijde, among others. This year, eight cities will host skaters throughout the summer. But rollerblading is not new in Huy, as the inventor of the inline skate, Jean-Joseph Merlin, was born in Huy. That was in 1735, and he died in 1803 in London, where he had become a true personality, known for his multiple inventions. The bicentenary of his death should have been celebrated last year, but the spot was already taken by Napoleon. So, this year, we are simply paying him tribute by organizing three parades: on June 19, August 7, and September 25. The dates were not chosen at random, as they correspond to festive events. This June 19 will also be the Nuit du Bassinia, and the Fête de la Musique, with free concerts on the Grand Place: André Borbé at 4 p.m., and Cannon Ball at 9:30 p.m., with the Supertramp repertoire. On August 7, it will be the opening of the fair, with a concert by Émile et Image in the Lycée courtyard, as well as the sound and light show. Finally, on September 25, it will be part of the Fêtes de Wallonie: the Huy parade will close the Belgium Rollers season. Twenty kilometers For each of these dates, the route offered to rollerbladers (but also to cyclists, who will be welcome) covers about twenty kilometers. Gathering at Grand Place from 7 p.m., for a departure from Avenue des Ardennes, at 8 p.m., with the police, towards Pont Baudouin, Rue Neuve, then towards Amay. The Meuse is crossed again at Pont d'Ombret and the procession returns towards Tihange and Huy. The ride should theoretically last from two to two and a half hours, at a pace that everyone should be able to follow comfortably, on a flat and easy route. Intermediate refreshment stops are planned. The organizers particularly emphasize safety. For example, it is necessary to know how to brake correctly. Regarding equipment, the wearing of all protections is required for children, i.e., helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads. M.D. With police officers from Namur, where they participated in the 2003 parades, and others from Brussels. © V.L.TOY ESCORT "A cool image" of the police "For us, it shouldn't be a problem," explains Commissioner Christian Collinet, in charge of maintaining public order and traffic for the Huy police zone. "It's a group, supervised like a cycling race." Even in Amay territory, it is the Huy police officers who will accompany the rollerbladers. The procession will move on the right side of the road, without obstructing users traveling in the opposite direction. Intersections will be protected as the peloton moves along. The participants will also be escorted by rollerblade police officers, two coming from Namur and probably three or four coming from Brussels, cities that have already participated in the roller parade and have decided to train police officers in this mode of travel. "It will be a celebration," concludes the Commissioner, "and it will give a cool image of the police." For the occasion, the Huy police officers will inaugurate another new rolling equipment: two mountain bikes, which will then be used for daily work. Commissioner Collinet indeed wishes that bicycle patrols could be carried out in Huy, or even rollerblade patrols, with the reservation that, given the number of cobbled streets, they should rather be limited to school exits. Furthermore, specific rollerblade training must be provided. M.D.