Roller parade unsuccessful?

Two cancellations prevented the conquest of the Ardente city LIÈGE ▼ Between one hundred and two hundred people from Liège have been putting on their skates on Thursdays since the beginning of summer. They form a small roller parade that meanders along the boulevards of Liège between the Fragnée bridge and Saint-Lambert square. This is a small crowd compared to the success met by the Belgium Rollers Summer Tour in Namur, where 600 roller enthusiasts gather on Tuesdays, and also in Hasselt, which brings together 700 people, or even Brussels, which attracts nearly 4,500 enthusiasts. Positive nonetheless "It's indeed the city where we've had the least success," admits Carl de Moncharline. "But it must be said that we haven't come often enough. We had to cancel twice due to unfavorable weather." In other cities, once people see the roller parade pass by, word of mouth helps attract new participants each week. For the organizer, it is therefore premature to draw a first assessment in Liège. "Overall, it's a very, very good start, even in Liège, with permanent growth!" he assures. Others do not hesitate to say that roller skating is not very popular with the people of Liège. In any case, looking at the roller parade, the level of participants seems disparate. According to Commissioner Renson, who supervises traffic, about 20% know how to skate. The others are discovering and reconnecting with skates, which is also the goal of the event. The Belgium Rollers Summer Tour travels to a different Walloon city every day with the aim of offering citizens the opportunity to discover their city in a different way. It is true that the beginnings in Liège were a bit laborious. Following three quite serious falls that occurred during the first parade, the police asked the mayor to remove the passages under the Blonden and Charlemagne underpasses. "The city was scared at first," says the organizer. "But we always have evacuations, that's the risk of roller skating. And everywhere else, in Brussels or Namur, the route is more difficult. Now that it has been modified, the Liège circuit allows beginners to participate!" Attention, enthusiasts! Unless the weather is unfavorable, the roller parades will still take place on August 14, 21, and 28. And Carl de Moncharline certifies: "It's a beautiful route and the public is friendly."