Chill-Eck - A place for all young people in Parc Brill, Mamer

1. The idea
Every day, many teenagers arrive in Mamer from their secondary schools. They use a corner of Parc Brill, near the bus stop at the roundabout on Rue de la Libération (behind the Spuerkeess bank), as their meeting point. They come there to see their friends and spend time together. But this corner was not designed for them: there is nowhere to sit together, and no protection from sun or rain.

Mamer already has good sports places for teenagers, like the skatepark, the mini-stadium and the basketball court. But there are not many places just to sit, talk, study and relax together. Chill-Eck wants to turn this meeting point into a nice and safe place where all young people feel welcome.

2. Why this project

• The young people are already there. The project simply gives them a proper place in a spot they have chosen themselves.
• Many teenagers do not use the rest of the park because most places there are for sports. A place to meet, study and relax adds something new for them.
• Young people use a place only when they feel safe and welcome there. Good light, an open space and good visibility are important for everybody.
• A nice, clean place helps to reduce litter, noise and damage, and it is better for the neighbours too.

3. How the place should be

• Open: easy to see from outside, with more than one way in and out, and no hidden corners.
• Friendly: benches that face each other, so small groups can talk.
• Flexible: some free space around the benches, for games, music or just sitting together.
• Well lit: solar lights, so the place is safe in the evening, especially in autumn and winter.

4. What we want to install

To study and meet

• Tables with seats, where young people can study, do homework together or eat.
• A canvas roof (shade sail) over the tables, to protect from sun and rain. The canvas can be taken down in the winter months if needed.

To relax

• Wooden lounge benches to lie back and relax, like the ones at the University campus in Belval.
• A round bench (in a half circle), for talking in groups.
• As an option: large hammocks (like Paraguayan hammocks), hung on their own posts, not on the trees. Like the canvas, they can be taken down in winter if needed.

To be creative

• A wall for legal graffiti or a chalkboard, designed by the young people.

Useful things

• A solar bench with USB chargers for phones.
• Solar lights that switch off automatically at a fixed time (for example 22:00), so the neighbours are not disturbed.
• Bins for different types of waste, to keep the place clean.
• Parking for bikes and scooters.
• A book exchange box: take a book, leave a book. The Maison des Jeunes, a school or the library could take care of it.

5. Respect for nature
We keep all the trees. The equipment will be placed on the ground surface, without digging near the roots. Nothing will be attached to the trees. We prefer natural, strong and sustainable materials.

6. Designed with young people
The final design should be made together with the teenagers who use the park, students from the secondary schools and the Maison des Jeunes, for example in a workshop. The group should be mixed: girls and boys, different ages and different backgrounds, so the place is good for all young people, not only for those who already use the park.

7. Costs and maintenance

• Only a one-time cost: buying and installing the equipment. No new building, no land to buy and no extra staff.
• Maintenance is simple: empty the bins and clean from time to time, like other park furniture.
• The canvas roof and the hammocks can be taken down in winter if needed. This is a simple seasonal task, like for other seasonal park equipment.
• All fixed equipment will be strong, weather-resistant and vandal-resistant, like standard park furniture.
• The solar equipment makes its own energy, so there are no electricity costs.

Estimated maximun costs:

• Lounge benches (×4): €6,000
• Canvas roof with posts over the tables: €6,000
• Tables with seats for studying (×3): €4,500
• Round bench (half circle): €3,500
• Solar lights (×2): €3,000
• Solar bench with USB chargers: €3,000
• Large hammocks with posts (optional): €2,500
• Graffiti wall / chalkboard: €2,000
• Bins for waste sorting: €1,000
• Bike and scooter parking: €800
• Book exchange box: €200

Project location
Parc Brill, in the corner behind the Spuerkeess bank, near the bus stop at the roundabout on Rue de la Libération. Many teenagers already use this corner as a meeting point.

If needed, another public place nearby could also be considered (Park Brill, or near the Lycée Josy Barthel). The commune and the young people can choose the best spot together. Important points: public land, safety and good visibility.