Project to extend and completely renovate the day and residential centers at CREB Woluwe (Centre de Rééducation de l'Enfance à Bruxelles).
This center will accommodate 55 children in a day center and 27 in a residential center. This is CREB's second project, following the opening of CREB Anderlecht.
We have had encouraging contacts with the main supporters of CREB Anderlecht. Since the start of construction at CREB Anderlecht, our priority has been to find funding for CREB Woluwe.
CREB Woluwe cares for children and young people with profound mental handicaps and associated disabilities. The current premises, built without subsidies, are insalubrious, contain asbestos and
are too small to meet current standards.
The authorities are imposing a complete extension and renovation on pain of closure.
The plan is to rebuild a first floor with an additional storey. The space will be increased by +/- 1000 m² and will enable the sanitary facilities and bedrooms to be brought up to standard. The
work will be staggered over time, as it is impossible to close the facilities.
Constellations has a major role to play in bringing the project to a successful conclusion. In fact, this will be the most ambitious project Constellations has ever undertaken. The cost,
initially €5,000,000 in 2021, has risen to €6,900,000 in 2025 due to increased construction costs. More than 120 people work in this center, and their jobs are also at stake.
We had found the €5,000,000 needed, including the equipment. We obtained €1,450,000 from several foundations thanks to Constellations' contribution. These foundations include the Anber
Foundation ,the Lokumo Foundation, the Brussels Rotary Clubs, the M.M Delacroix Foundation, CAP48, the ROGER DE SPOELBERCH Foundation, the NIF Foundation, the Michelham Foundation and the 6088
Fund.
COCOF will cover a large part of the cost of inflation. We have taken other measures to finance the reconstruction, and we are committed to seeing the project through to the end. Given the
context, we have decided that the 2025 theatre evening will be dedicated to supporting our 3 current projects, including the CREB. The increase in construction costs makes this additional support
unavoidable.
After 18 months of hard work, we have now obtained planning permission. To prepare for the call for tenders, we had to update all the costs. This exercise showed a continuation of the dramatic
increase in construction costs, with the total cost rising to €6,900,000 and €400,000 for equipment. This includes €250,000 needed to obtain planning permission - additional requests from the
fire brigade and modifications required by the region.
In this context, we will increase our contribution to €850,000, an exceptional commitment made possible by a very generous donation to Constellations.
We are still missing €150,000 to fully fund this contribution.
We are counting on a partner foundation to help us secure the majority of this amount.
We obtained the building permit after 18 months of intense efforts — a major success.
We submitted the tender documents and the request for final approval to Cocof, and have just received the administration’s approval in early April.
The big question was whether the final approval from the Brussels-Capital Region government could be obtained under current affairs, or whether we would have
to wait for the appointment of a new government.
In early June 2025, the big news came: the Brussels-Capital Region government gave us its green light, thereby allowing us to launch the call for tenders and
hopefully begin construction at the end of 2025 or early 2026.
The next step will be to finance the equipment (€400,000), including the purchase of a Snoezelen room.
We are counting on renewed support from CAP48, the Rotary Clubs of Brussels, and partner foundations.
