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| East: - Tervuren - Kraainem - Sterrebeek - Wezembeek-Oppem - Overijse - Wavre - Huldenberg - Bertem South: - Hoeilaart - Sint-Genesius-Rode - Lasne - Drogenbos - Linkebeek - Braine l'Alleud - Beersel - La Hulpe Brussels: - Woluwe - Etterbeek - Auderghem - Evere - Uccle - Watermael-Boitsfort - Ixelles - Saint Gilles - Koekelberg North: - Vilvoorde - Meise - Grimbergen - Machelen - Zaventem West: - Wemmel - Sint-Peters-Leeuw - Asse - Dilbeek |
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Waterloo, a world renowned name because of another brutal
chapter in the history of Europe. The defeat of Napoleon and the demise
of the French Empire set in for good when allied forces destroyed the
French close to the village of Waterloo. Waterloo, which is actually a typical Dutch name, is an affluent southern suburb of Brussels, and is located, nevertheless its name, in French-speaking Flemish Brabant (Brabant Wallon). Hundreds of years ago Waterloo was just north of the linguistic divide between German and Roman languages, now it is just south of it. Waterloo is very much a self contained community with its large Carrefour hypermarkets, interrnational schools, vibrant housing market, and lots of companies and jobs at the office parks on its premises or in nearby villages. Together with Braine l'Alleud something what Americans call "edge city" (Joel Garreau) might evolve here. A residential area that has all the facilities and concentrates shopping, business, education, and entertainment out the the traditional urban area (in this case Brussels), enabled by a high percentage of car ownership and a low density built-up area. As one of the few municipalities listed on this website, Waterloo has a fanatic blogger (bloggeur) that deserves to be mentioned. Perso-Blog Waterloo. |
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relative independance of Waterloo from the capital is
stimulated by the virtual inaccessibility by car during the day. It is
not fun anymore to drive into Brussels for work or shopping. Another
reason for having regional facilities is that Waterloo more and more is
developing into the regional centre of Brabant Wallon, a very
prosperous region. It certainly is the regional centre in Brabant
Wallon for expats with all its international schools and companies.
Nivelles (Nijvel) and Wavre are the regional centre of choice and focus for most of the Belgians of Brabant Wallon. Waterloo has a SNCB train station. With the current implementation of the RER/GEN project (for the expansion of the Brussels suburban rail network) it could be expected that trains will call more often at Waterloo train station. |
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| The housing stock consists mainly of stand
alone villa's. Some of them on spacious grounds. Others more or less
cramped together. Many quarters around here reflect a typical
American suburban way of life. You will find great enthusiasm for
Halloween, popcorn and garage-sales. It might not be a
coincidence that the first American/International School of Brussels: St John's
(impressive website), is found in Waterloo. Another non
Belgian school is the extremely pretty Scandinavian School which caters
for Nordic people. While three fourth of the Waterloo residential real estate consists of villa's, the remainder can be divided in apartments and townhouses. Both categories are very popular, because they turn out way cheaper than all these villa's, and as such enabling the middle income workers to settle in Waterloo and the apartments stock facilitate the possibility of pensioners to downsize from a big house while keep on dwelling in Waterloo. Waterloo does indeed have a very international outlook with a fifth of its inhabitants being foreigners. And conspicuously many Walloons being able to express themselves fluently and flawlessly in English. And very willing to do so. |
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| The mayor of Waterloo is Serge Kubla. A member of the ruling liberal party the MR (Mouvement Reformateur) that has an absolute majority in this municipality with 22 of the available 29 seats. Mister Kubla is not detracted by, nor dragged into the usual Belgian communautarian and inflammatory issues many of his colleagues (mayors) have so much difficulties to stay away from. Instead Kubla is focusing on economic development in his already prosperous community, and revamping the innercity of his municipality to entail the upgrade of downtown, he sees as necessary to meet the demands of the international community. |
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© 2008 Estaval |
