** *25 years of transformation in Liege: The influence of Willy Demeyer.*

In a quarter of a century, the city has undergone a transformation. A quarter of a century? That's exactly the term for which Mayor Willy Demeyer was elected. This is no coincidence. This time, everything seems assured. I promise, I swear. Most of the work on the twelve-kilometer stretch of tram track will be completed by the end of November. On this massive construction site, which began in 2019 and employs five hundred workers, walkways are now visible. "This means fifty hectares of public space," says Mayor Willy Demeyer, who knows that he is criticized by many.

However, the tram will only start operating in early 2025, from Sklessena to Koronmez and Bressu. But what seemed like a huge eyesore four years ago is finally in line with a project that some have supported despite everything: the backbone of a completely redesigned city. "For ten years, there have only been bulldozers, jackhammers, cranes, holes, and metal barriers everywhere," says Clara, 30, with disgust. For pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and residents, it's hell.

But the major construction projects began much earlier. The construction of Place Saint-Lambert lasted from 1974 to 2000, which is 26 years. The construction of the Guilman station, according to Calatrava, took place from 1999 to 2009. However, it is enough to list a few major openings of other completely rebuilt or created buildings or areas with public or private funding to better understand the Liège hell that Clara speaks of: Mediacité and Grand Curtius in 2009, the Opera in 2012, the Theater in 2013, Cité Miroir in 2014, the Saint-Agathe park in 2015, Boverie, the Civil Engineering Corps building in Val Benoit, and the La Belle Liégeoise bike-pedestrian bridge in 2016, the Iser square in 2017, new halls of the cathedral's treasury in 2018, a new university center for language training in 2019, MontLégia hospital, Trinkhall museum, Liège Office center, and Jonfosse pool in 2020, Grand Poste in 2021, the Life Sciences Center LégiaPark economic activity park, and the new HEC ULiège campus in 2022. And this year - Paul Savouir and the arts square in the Bavire area, a new administrative district, part of the eco-district in Coronmeuse... Mounds and chasms of stones and mud, blood and tears, fever and anger.

The private sector must know what we will allow, what we want, and what we no longer want. Some projects have been blocked, others delayed, and some have failed; land has been occupied, permits denied, and budgets increased. But no one can deny the amazing transformation of the city. Much of this transformation was initiated or carried out under the leadership of someone who was the deputy mayor for works from 1991 to 1999 and has been the mayor ever since. However, he himself says, quite frankly: "I don’t have a driver’s license, I’m a pedestrian, so I live in the city as a pedestrian. Public spaces are important to me. The current vision, with nature in the city, soft mobility... aligns with my vision. It took time, strategies had to be found, funding secured, and teams created. But I had all of this in my mind, just like the tram. Take Place Saint-Étienne: it was a sore spot, we bought it for sixty million Belgian francs, we demolished the gallery, and created one of the most beautiful car-free squares. This is where the investment fund Noshaq is developing, along with the entire area."

The mayor uses the term "vision" or "idea" several times. When he says, "we have a common concept for the region, and it is being realized." Or that "the development due to climate change, due to everything that has happened to us, aligns quite well with my vision of the city." Or that "if all this is unfolding now, it was thought out long ago; we were visionaries." And they are not satisfied, as the new Foirexpo exhibition center is under construction, as is the rest of the eco-district or the urban boulevard in Bressu, construction and projects in Gilmanse, in the center or in the neighborhoods of Chene, Saint-Marguerite, and Chene, as well as four lines of the Busway (high-speed buses) will be created by 2026. Not to mention two new tram lines (Seraing/Herstal).

Tram... Always this tram! "If we want to talk about the development of the city, we must talk about it! Just like the candidacy of Liège for the World Expo 2017: Astana was chosen, but in terms of spatial planning, the two biggest consequences of this project - the tram and the eco-district - are in the process of being implemented. And this tram is the backbone of the Liège agglomeration: Upper Meuse, Seraing, Center, Lower Meuse, Herstal. Many infrastructures are or will be located along this route, which is a benchmark for development."

The private sector was not mistaken: the weekly Trends-Tendances reported in September last year, based on data collected by Smartblock, a specialist in residential real estate data analysis, that "the Liège market - especially in the city center - remains the most dynamic in Wallonia, with 1,345 new apartments currently being commercialized, and considering numerous projects, the supply should not decrease in the future." According to city officials, "thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of permits are under review. We are selling according to plan and moving two to three times faster than we had planned to implement the commercial projects. Therefore, we need to build faster." But not just anywhere and not in any form. In its "Urban Development Scheme," developed with citizen participation, the city established nine goals that take into account issues of housing development, economic development, repurposing industrial areas, and climate change. This is to ensure that "the private sector knows what we will allow, what we want, and what we no longer want." In particular, it was decided to preserve forested areas, create a network of parks, remove waterproofing and restore soils, ensure peaceful mobility, and build only on existing developments, with some exceptions.

All of this was thought out long ago. We were visions. At the same time, according to Smartblock, "the prices for new apartments have increased by almost 20% over three years." Willy Demeyer does not dispute this, but "if we have a population whose income is growing proportionally, it won't harm the city. The key is to ensure that people with low incomes can also find housing. For this, more social policies need to be implemented. With good amenities, services, green spaces, and soft mobility, Liège will become very trendy, as it will be a great way to live at a lower cost while having access to a maximum of services." Moreover, the GRE, the association responsible for defining the strategic development guidelines for the entire Liège region, will soon present its plan "Liège, Capital 2030!", which will likely further accelerate the revitalization process. And if, in addition, the Belgian-German-Dutch bid for hosting the European Observatory for Gravitational Waves is expected to be accepted in 2026, "everyone will benefit."

So everything is good, right? The one who will soon celebrate their 25 years at the helm of the city is softening things up. After all, "the city has always been a metropolis, but an unfinished one. Because it lacks an institutional structure. It needs the status of a city community, like in France. This would be quite suitable for Liège, as in the country of Liège, everyone considers themselves Liégeois up to Verviers, the eastern cantons, Huy-Waremme, that is, the outskirts of the former principality, which corresponded to something in terms of economy, topography, and history. And something of that remains. Here you have all the elements of a metropolis: territory, identity, a river, a university, an opera, an orchestra, a football club, a basketball club, an exceptional geographical location. Everything is there! A city community, like in France, would allow everyone who is actually Liégeois to have a say in what is done and to contribute through taxes. With a population organization of 500,000, 600,000, or a million residents, Liège would receive the means for its development. Financial and institutional opportunities. Our ambition is at this level." Not just at the level of a redrawn city. For the residents of Liège, the major works are probably still not finished.