Plattelandscentrum Meetjesland

Plattelandscentrum Meetjesland is a small rural education and community centre in Sint-Laureins, housed in a former dairy at Leemweg 24. It combines regional information services for the Meetjesland area with community and educational work focused on countryside life, farming and local products.

What is Plattelandscentrum Meetjesland?

It is a non-profit organisation (vzw) whose goal is to present the rural character of the Meetjesland region to residents and visitors in a creative, approachable way. Its work rests on four pillars: Het Plattelandslab (a lab for rural initiatives), Hoeve- en Streekproducten (farm and regional products), Het Platteland Beleven (experiencing the countryside), and De Huysmanhoeve, a related provincial heritage site.

What is the history of the building?

The building that now houses the centre used to be a dairy on Leemweg in Sint-Laureins. After the dairy closed, the premises were used successively as a meat-boning facility and then as a furniture workshop. In 1994 the municipality of Sint-Laureins bought the building and converted it into a multi-purpose public facility. It now houses an administrative centre for rural-themed school programmes, the municipal library, a multi-purpose hall, a meeting room, the rural centre itself, and a youth centre. As a result, a single former industrial building became a shared meeting point for several community functions.

What can visitors do there?

The centre runs activities aimed at both local residents and visitors exploring Meetjesland. These include promoting local farm and regional products, organising events centred on discovering the rural landscape, and working with the local community through its "Onze Community" programme. It also acts as a contact point for people interested in volunteering or rural initiatives in the area.

How to get there and get in touch?

Plattelandscentrum Meetjesland is located at Leemweg 24, 9980 Sint-Laureins, in a building shared with the local library and youth centre. It is open on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Visitors can reach the centre by phone or email to arrange a visit or ask about upcoming events.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a museum? No, it functions more as an educational and community centre focused on promoting rural life and local products rather than as a traditional museum.

Is admission free? As a non-profit organisation, its general information services appear to be free of charge, though specific events may have their own participation terms.

What else is in the same building? Besides the rural centre, the former dairy building also houses the municipal library and a youth centre, making it a local community hub.

Who is this place for? It suits residents interested in farming and regional products, as well as visitors wanting to learn more about the rural character of Meetjesland.