Roller Tuesdays

■ We're going to take it easy this summer, in the city and surroundings: Namur is participating in Belgium Rollers NAMUR ∇ Don't say Brussels Rollers anymore, but Belgium Rollers. Next summer, seven Belgian cities including Namur will host inline roller skating parades. People have been putting on skates for several years in Paris, New York, London, Amsterdam. In Brussels last year, the idea created by Carl de Moncharline, an event management expert well known in trendy Brussels nightlife circles, together with the Mayor of Brussels Freddy Thielemans, was followed last summer by 30,000 participants in the capital. This year, the Belgium Rollers tour will take off in early July every evening from 9 p.m. until the end of August: in Hasselt (Mondays), Namur (Tuesdays), Ghent (Wednesdays), Liège (Thursdays), Brussels (Fridays), Mons (Saturdays), and Coxyde (Sundays). This is an original summer activity open to all and free of charge, allowing roller skating enthusiasts to hit the pavement and enjoy themselves to their heart's content in a supervised manner. "Carl de Moncharline contacted me," explains Sports Alderman Frédéric Laloux. "I informed our mayor, who got in touch with his Brussels counterpart. But the details of the route are not yet established. The route of about two hours will cover about fifteen kilometers of asphalt and will not be limited to the city center. One could even imagine going as far as Wépion. Demand is strong in Namur, especially among young people." Training for police officers In addition, several volunteer police officers will receive training in the coming weeks to be able to skate and effectively supervise the rides. An initiative that will not, however, be limited to supervising Belgium Rollers alone. The philosophy of the project could well find a longer-term anchor. Thus, in the process, Namur police officers could well patrol daily on roller skates as part of their duties. It is true that the city does not have too many cobblestones. In this sense, a well-organized, well-supervised Belgium Rollers in Namur will also be a key factor in bringing the police closer to citizens. The advantage of roller skates lies of course in proximity; you can chat with the police officer right next to you.