Vincent Van Quickenborne, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and North Sea:
"The opening of the new prison means for the staff and detainees finally a modern and decent infrastructure to work and live in. Dendermonde will be the first prison in Flanders to employ detention counselors, so that inmates are assisted from day one in their journey toward a successful return to society. We will start transferring detainees in February. Due to the tight labor market, it was not easy to find enough staff to open the new prison and use its full capacity. But thanks to the accelerated recruitment procedure, we were able to recruit 39 people, including on job day. Moreover, we expect another 80 or so hires in the coming weeks. We will first renovate the old prison and then keep it open longer, as a measure against prison overcrowding. We are also looking for additional staff for this. Anyone who wants to work in a prison can visit www.werkenbijjustitie.be."(link is external)
Sebald van Royen, director of the Poort van Dendermonde consortium:
"For Invesis and its partners BAM Interbuild and BAM fm, this prison is a wonderful and logical addition to its portfolio of several prisons in Belgium (Beveren), Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. After the initial delay due to procedures, the "Poort van Dendermonde" consortium energetically picked up the construction and realized a modern prison with humane appearance. The construction, maintenance and management are meticulously coordinated within the consortium, so that the FPS Justice and the Régie des Bâtiments can achieve optimal operational management. We are proud of the achieved quality of the prison and will focus on the continuity of the good cooperation with all stakeholders in the operational phase of the next 25 years."
Replacement of the old prison
The prison was realized in implementation of the Master Plan "Detention and Internment in Humane Conditions," an action plan to combat overcrowding in Belgian prisons and improve living and working conditions there.
The first version of the Master Plan was approved by the federal Council of Ministers in 2008, and it has been updated several times in recent years.
The Dendermonde jail was still part of the first Master Plan, with the goal of replacing the outdated facility in the city (in rue Saint-Jacob).
However, due to several legal proceedings that were initiated, the project was delayed for many years. Work finally started in August 2020 and was completed by the end of October 2022.
The move to the new prison is scheduled for mid-February 2023. To deal with the overcrowding in Belgian prisons, it was decided to keep the old Dendermonde prison partially in use for another 5 years with about 100 places. Some renovation works are planned for this purpose.
Caroline Criel, Head of Institution at Dendermonde prison:
"In addition to Haren prison, detention supervisors and security assistants will also work in Dendermonde for the first time. They will be able to specialize in the professionalism and specific assignments of these new profiles. The available technology such as the more than 680 cameras that partly replace the static surveillance task, the virtual visit or the sanitary facilities on cell that will reduce the number of movements, will also give them time and space to focus on interpersonal contact and empathic maintenance. Together, they will carry and promote the new detention culture. All these elements will promote detention progress, preparation for probation and successful reintegration. "
A public-private partnership
The prison complex was realized through a DBFM procedure, where DBFM stands for "Design," "Build," "Finance" and "Maintain." This is a public-private partnership in which a private partner takes care of the design, construction, financing and maintenance of the penitentiary.
The prison was realized by the Poort van Dendermonde consortium.
The consortium will make the building available to the federal state for 25 years, paying an annual availability fee. At the end of the contract, the federal state takes over the prison.
Most of the firms that are part of the consortium were also responsible for the realization of the prison in Beveren, which was inaugurated in 2014 and in terms of design is broadly similar to the one in Dendermonde.
There are differences, however. For example, more colors were used inside the complex, different materials were sometimes chosen (for example, wooden instead of metal cell doors) and the administrative and logistics building were divided more into zones for a more logical structure. These interventions improve living and working conditions in the prison.
Location
The prison was built on a site in the Zwijvekekouter, located between the Oud Klooster, the Dendermonde-Ghent railroad line and the Dender.
A new access road, the Tanneweg, was built to the site. The road crosses the new Zwijveke bridge over the Old Dender and connects with the Gentsesteenweg at the Ooiebrug bridge. In this way, traffic nuisance for the nearby residential area (the Boonwijk) is kept to a minimum.
The prison is a 15-minute walk from the Oudegem train station and from the nearest bus stops on the Gentsesteenweg.
Four separate building sections
The prison complex consists of four separate building sections:
- The entrance building, which also provides a courtroom where the criminal court and the Council Chamber, among others, can sit.
- The service building, which consists of offices for the administration, a sports complex, a visitors' complex, the restricted detention department and a reception complex for detainees.
- The cellular section with four cell wings surrounding one central surveillance core ("panoptic center"). The cellular building consists of three floors and an attic with technical installations. The slope of the roof allows plenty of light to penetrate into the cell wings through the upright windows.The cell wings themselves consist of open galleries, for greater transparency and a greater sense of security.The cells are provided for one or two persons and have their own sanitary facilities.
- The logistics building with workshops, a kitchen and laundry facilities.
The transition between the four separate building sections is via connecting corridors, some of which are made of glass slats.
The prison has two green "walks" and four courtyard gardens.
Staff and visitor parking were also constructed.
A water moat has been created around the prison and a spacious green area has been provided, serving as a visual and acoustic buffer for nearby residents.
Mathieu Michel, Secretary of State for Digitalization, in charge of Administrative Simplification, Privacy and Control of Buildings, added to Prime Minister:
"We are bringing Dendermonde's prison infrastructure from the 19th to the 21st century. After the new prison of Haren, we are now opening this one of Dendermonde. The Regie der gebouwen further contributes to a humane and modern vision of detention and ensures optimal conditions for both inmates and prison staff. In this new complex, detainees will be prepared as well as possible for their reintegration into society, with classrooms and studios for working, training or organizing activities. This will reduce the recidivism rate and help eliminate overcrowding in our prisons by 2030. The prison is sustainable and energy efficient, with a total of 774 solar panels on the roofs."
A humane and modern prison
The concept is consistent with a humane and modern vision of detention and aims to improve conditions for both inmates and prison staff.
Detainees are prepared as best as possible for reintegration into society. There are classrooms and studios to work, receive training or organize activities.
It is an uncluttered site with a clear structure. The prison looks like one entity, but at the same time the separate functions are clearly separated from each other, which contributes to a good sense of orientation and encourages a sense of community.
The circulation spaces are wide and comfortable, so they function as a full-fledged experience space. The creation of patios provides good light and pleasant views.
Unlike traditional prisons, there are no bars on the cell windows, giving a more spacious and humane feel. Use of color in the hallways and cells makes the prison less chilly, as does the use of porcelain in the cells instead of stainless steel.
Maximum efforts have also been made to provide greenery for the courtyard gardens and walks.
