If we love “Plaisirs d’Hiver” for its mulled wine, we can’t miss its ice rink, the subject of much controversy…
It has to be said that the return of an ice rink of this size is something to smile about (or frown upon) in the midst of the energy crisis.
As reported by VRT and discussed by politician Bianca Debaets, a medium-sized ice rink would consume “65,000 kilowatts per hour of electricity in a month”, which could be compared to the use of “200 domestic fridges” running simultaneously. And that’s not counting the CO2 released into the atmosphere…
On this subject, the City of Brussels wishes to recall certain ecological measures for the overall installation of the “Plaisirs d’Hiver” market: a ban on disposable cutlery and patio heaters, as well as widespread LED lighting (which consumes less energy). The ice rink should be covered to reduce its consumption in direct sunlight.
A controversial ice rink, then, but one that we hope won’t dampen our anticipation of the festive season.