Every Saturday in Mons during the holidays Summer roller skate rides

Gathered on Thursday on the Grand-Place in Mons, at the top of Rue d'Havré, the mayor, the roller cops and their chief of police scouted the route for the ride. Following the resounding success of Brussels Rollers last summer with its 30,000 participants and over 100,000 spectators, the organizers have decided to repeat the operation, but this time in several Belgian cities. As a result, every day from next week until August 31, roller skating enthusiasts will meet from Monday to Sunday in Hasselt, Namur, Ghent, Liège, Brussels, Koksijde, and Mons. Seven cities are participating in the initiative. That is one city per day during the two months of school holidays. The first ride of around twenty kilometers will take place on Friday, June 27 in Brussels. The last one will be in Mons on August 31. This Thursday was dedicated to fine-tuning and scouting the route before the big day next Saturday, and the launch in Mons of the Rollers Summer Tour. Supervised by 22 roller-skating police officers The rides will be supervised by 22 roller cops from the Mons-Quévy zone, actively collaborating in the organization of the event. The initiative is also close to the heart of Elio Di Rupo, who is said to potentially lace up roller skates soon alongside the project's initiator, Carl de Moncharline, who is satisfied with the success achieved. "The mission of Belgium Rollers is to encourage the organization of group rides to promote roller skating, by extension, as a leisure activity and sport, but also as a full-fledged means of transport. The goal is also to allow everyone to discover a city in a different way." Every Saturday, participants will complete two ten-kilometer loops starting from the Grand-Place. They will skate as far as the Grand Large, where a thirty-minute break will be kindly granted before returning, via the avenues and boulevards, to the starting point around 11 p.m. Protective gear will be mandatory for children and recommended for inexperienced adults; in the event of rain, the ride will be automatically canceled. ■ Contact: 065/405971 and www.belgiumrollers.com