A sloth and his friend the hornbill are now part of the residents of the Pleinstraat in Heverlee. With the support of the city project Kom op voor je wijk, local residents brightened up the street with a formidable mural. The result is a collective semi-realistic work of art that lets passers-by enjoy exotic plants, natural colors and diversity.
Sam Peetermans and Eline Develtere, residents of Pleinstraat, saw in their side wall the ideal canvas for a remarkable mural. They put their heads together with cheering local residents and submitted a project application to Kom op voor je wijk. " With Kom op voor je wijk, the City of Leuven supports local residents to beautify their neighborhoods," explains alderman for neighbourhood activities Bieke Verlinden. "With the financial and logistical support that neighbors receive through Kom op voor je wijk, the neighbors of the Pleinstraat were able to get started with their idea."
Creative help was found at Treepack. After a brainstorming session with neighbors, two possible designs were developed. A cozy sloth or a zebra? More than 100 neighbors cast their votes, with the final result being The Act of Slowness.
The jungle is now taking over a piece of Square Street. Surrounded by vibrant purple flowers, the sloth has nestled on a branch. Looking up from his book 'The act of slowness', with the snail on it, he makes eye contact with the passers-by. The sloth enjoys the slow life and peace. The neighbors hope that traffic will adopt this attitude to make the environment even more pleasant and safe for young and old in the street. With this attractive mural, there is now a visual break point that encourages traffic to drive slower and more quietly.
The sloth comes straight from local residents Sam and Eline's adventurous trip to Panama. Once they also spotted a hornbill in Indonesia. These two animals made a big impression on the adventurous couple.
"Now they are also noticed in Heverlee by passers-by and local residents. Young and old hang around and get talking to each other. It has become a pleasant meeting place that welcomes everyone in a colorful and cheerful way," says alderman Bieke Verlinden.
