From Wednesday 10 to Friday 12 September, Cool Cities partners gathered in Sint-Niklaas for an inspiring partner meeting. The city of Sint-Niklaas welcomed us warmly: the mayor and two aldermen shared how the city has been transforming its streets and neighborhoods into greener, more people-friendly places. Their stories set the tone for three days of collaboration, learning, and exchange.
A warm welcome to Cool Cities partners from the Mayor of Sint-Niklaas.
Co-creating: vision & strategic goals
In interactive workshops, partners worked together on the work package led by the University of Applied Sciences of Amsterdam. They drafted a shared vision statement, set out strategic goals, and co-developed an outline for the local plans. This process helped align partners on overarching ambitions while leaving room for each city’s unique context.
The University of Applied Science Amsterdam team preparing for the workshop, ready to guide partners through vision, strategic goals, and plan structure.
Sharing knowledge across borders
During the transnational learning sessions, partners split into smaller groups to dive into questions brought in by specific municipalities. Each participant joined the discussion of one partner city, offering insights and ideas that could help tackle a concrete local challenge. After two rounds, partners had gathered fresh perspectives to take home and continue working on in their own context. “It was valuable to see how other cities approach similar challenges - you leave with ideas you can actually try out back home,” one partner reflected.
Exploring Sint-Niklaas’ pilot site
The partnership also visited Sint-Niklaas’ pilot site: the redevelopment of the central train station. Plans to make the area greener, cooler, and more accessible were shared on site, giving partners a firsthand look at how theory turns into practice. The visit continued through other green spots in the city, showing the tangible impact of local climate action.
Our guide (and host) Noah explaining Sint-Niklaas’ pilot project at the city’s station.
Looking ahead: monitoring and the final roadmap
On the final day, attention turned to monitoring progress and results. The University of Hamburg shared how they tested the monitoring process in Göttingen, exploring how tree species, shading, and cooling effects can be measured in practice. They presented their findings to the partners, offering concrete insights into how monitoring could work across different cities. Afterwards, partners discussed the project’s ultimate outcome: the Cool Cities roadmap, a practical guide to help European cities become greener and more climate-resilient.
Next steps
The Sint-Niklaas meeting combined inspiration with concrete progress, leaving partners motivated to continue their work. Curious to learn more? Check out the pilots in Cool Cities.
