New playground in Verzetsstrijderspark

A simple fence will be erected around the play area to prevent children from simply walking down to the water. The play area is situated a little further away from the water, and between the fencing and the water there will be space for a grassy path intended for walkers wishing to reach the dog exercise area. No play equipment will therefore be installed in the water. However, there will be a fun bridge for children across the water, next to the culvert on the north side.

One concern that has been raised is how to prevent branches – or even an entire tree – from falling onto the playground. This is because the council had previously decided to allow the trees in the copse next to the playground site to die off naturally, given the ecological benefits this brings to the natural environment.

The council has decided to review this decision, as we consider the importance of this playground to outweigh other considerations. This means that the council will, in fact, resume managing the copse in the same way that we manage trees in other parks. In practical terms, this means that the council will carry out regular inspections of the trees and will prune or fell branches or trees where there is a risk that they could break off or fall onto the playground.

One question that has been asked several times is why another location in the park was not chosen. These options were carefully considered. However, we must bear in mind that the Resistance Fighters’ Park is a listed monument. A location situated further out in the park’s open field met with objections from the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands and the Monuments Committee (also known as the Mandate Committee). The latter committee, acting on behalf of the local authority, assesses plans that have an impact on buildings or sites with heritage status.

The objections raised by these two parties relate in particular to the fact that a playground in the open field would detract too much from the character of the park and the views within it. For this reason, the council is sticking to the location in the corner, next to the copse.

We will clearly separate the two areas to prevent dogs from entering the play area. We will do this, first and foremost, by installing a simple fence around the play area. This will be situated within a strip of wild vegetation, so that the fence blends in well with the surroundings. There will be two paths: a semi-paved path for visitors to the play area inside the fence, and a grass path outside the fence for walkers (with or without dogs) on their way to the playing field. This new connection will help increase the number of passers-by and, consequently, social supervision in this corner of the park.  

To ensure the playground is easily accessible to everyone, we are laying a semi-paved path leading to it. This path will therefore also be easily accessible to anything on wheels, such as pushchairs, wheelchairs, walking frames, etc.