Mechelen starts with first housing units for refugees

In Mechelen, more than 800 Ukrainian refugees are being accommodated. About 120 people are housed at the Hôtel Domaine Montréal. The hotel went bankrupt last summer and is now vacant. Refugees will stay in both rooms and housing units on the premises. A total of 20 units will be set up, with the first four delivered and assembled this morning.

"It’s a remarkable feat to get this ready in such a short time. We want to have everything in order as quickly as possible to accommodate the refugees here. Currently, about 10 Ukrainian families are staying in Mechelen. They are being hosted by private individuals who have taken in refugees through family or personal connections."

For Geert Hoste from Warsco, these are busy days. “We can barely keep up with the demand,” he says. “We’re being asked for help all over Flanders right now, but we are flexible and looking for as many solutions as possible. For example, we are now exploring whether we can create larger dormitories using the units, where the sanitary facilities can be shared by multiple people. That way, we are being creative in helping the Ukrainians.”