Antwerp's Olieweg prison takes in a first group, but the Begijnenstraat jail stays in use for now
De Kade has 440 places and is opening step by step because staff are still missing.
Antwerp's new De Kade prison received its first 86 inmates on Sunday. They were transferred from the old prison on Begijnenstraat, the prison service confirmed to Belga, RTBF and La DH report. The administration praised cooperation between the police, the security directorate (DAB) and staff at both prisons.
The complex on the Olieweg, on the Blue Gate site in the south of Antwerp, cost 195.5 million euros and can hold 440 inmates. It is built around small living units meant to offer more supervision, training and chances of reintegration. The prison was officially inaugurated in early September.
It is being brought into service in phases, partly because recruitment of staff is still under way. VRT NWS reported in late August that about 340 staff are needed and that, according to the unions, only half had been found. De Kade was originally meant to replace the Begijnenstraat prison, but because of capacity problems the old site will stay open for some time. According to VRT NWS, it has 370 places.