Well known for its brewery, the community of Diekirch is nestled in a particularly attractive natural setting. This magnificent setting is complemented by a state-of-the-art educational, sports and cultural infrastructure. Diekirch is in the midst of a transformation phase, with several real estate projects in and around the town.

The town of Diekirch, located on the banks of the river Sûre, offers its inhabitants a peaceful living environment. You only have to walk 500 metres to be in nature," says Claude Haagen, mayor of the town. "It is a green town that has long benefited from an overflowing tourist industry. This is still the case today, even if we have fewer tourists who come for a fortnight as was the case a few decades ago. The trend is more towards short stays, from one to five or six days.

Camping sites are still in operation in the town and the municipality has invested in a state-of-the-art canoeing station. A white water canal in the "Al Schwemm" area is available for canoeists to practice their passion in safety. The sports facilities in the municipality are not just for tourists. The swimming pool, the tennis courts, the football fields, the sports hall and the stadium offer something for everyone in the community.

Military, administrative and cultural city

Historically, Diekirch is above all a military town. "The Grand Duke Jean barracks, the only one in Luxembourg, is located in our town," explains Claude Haagen. The municipality is still an important centre of state activity, but more in the administrative sector. Diekirch is also frequented by many students. Several secondary schools, including the Alexis-Heck technical school for hoteliers, are located in the town.

Today, the city is turning to culture. We have five museums," continues the mayor. And a few months ago we opened our new cinema complex. It's a complex with five cinemas equipped with the latest technology, both in terms of sound and image, including 3D equipment.

Economic activity is not left out either, as a new economic activity zone will be created at Friedhof. According to Claude Haagen, "about thirty companies will set up there in the next few years, in the automobile and civil engineering sectors, etc.".

Housing projects that promote social diversity

The wide range of services available in Diekirch, combined with its bucolic setting, has made the municipality an entity with a growing population. In order to meet the demand for housing, Diekirch is continuing to change, with one key word: diversity. Three major real estate projects will be finalised over the next six years," explains Claude Haagen. The first concerns the brewery site, which is currently undergoing a complete overhaul. Flats and social housing are to be built there. An underground car park is also planned in this new complex.

The mayor also announced the creation of a new housing estate in Walebroch over the next two or three years. The land consolidation has already been carried out and houses will soon be built there. Finally, the Diekirch military estate will be redeveloped to include conventional and social housing, a car park, restaurants, shops, etc. in the centre of the town.

As you can see, Claude Haagen and the municipality of Diekirch do not hesitate to initiate multifaceted projects that mix genres and populations. "We don't want to proceed as we did in the past: to construct buildings that will be exclusively used for social housing. We believe that it is better to mix different populations in the same complex.

Services to support real estate projects

The social aims of the elected representatives of the community do not end there. Diekirch has developed its own social housing project. We have called on landlords who have free housing units," explains Claude Haagen. The owners can rent these units to the municipality, which sublets them to people who meet the criteria of the housing fund for a sum 10% below the market price. The owner gets a little less money, but on the one hand he is sure to receive his rent on time and on the other hand he has the guarantee that his property is maintained.

For all the inhabitants of the municipality, services for children are already in place. And they are going to be expanded," says the mayor. We have a halfway house and we are going to create a new one. As for the crèche, it has been extended. We will probably have to build a second one near one of our new housing projects. Finally, I'm not too worried about the basic schools, which have enough capacity to meet the needs of the next six years, or about the geriatric care, which is provided by a retirement home and a nursing home.

Everything is in place to ensure that the community of Diekirch will continue to develop smoothly. And to continue to make the most of its reputation, which owes much to its quality of life and its (new) brewery...