Apeldoorn aims to be a municipality where people can enjoy living, working and spending their leisure time. That is why we are investing in the quality of life in our neighbourhoods and villages. In De Parken, we’ve been talking to residents and organisations: what’s going well, and what could be improved? We’ve also carried out research. Based on the findings, a plan has been drawn up to keep the neighbourhood in good shape.
De Parken is a charming neighbourhood with plenty of green spaces and beautiful historic buildings. It has been a nationally protected townscape since 2005. Around 2,600 people live there. Amenities such as schools, shops and sports facilities are nearby. The Koetshuis and the churches play a valuable role in bringing people together.
Residents of De Parken enjoy living here. Relations with neighbours are generally good; people look out for one another. At the same time, there are also people who have less contact with others and sometimes feel lonely. Social interaction can be encouraged by supporting residents’ initiatives.
The neighbourhood is easily accessible by bike and car. However, residents do experience various issues with traffic and parking. It is often busy around the schools at drop-off and pick-up times. Illegal parking is also a cause for concern. Developments such as new-build projects have an impact on traffic and parking. That is why we are looking for suitable solutions.
Most residents feel safe in the neighbourhood, both during the day and in the evening. In some places, however, that sense of safety is less pronounced, particularly in the parks. Residents cite issues such as lighting and groups of young people loitering as areas for concern.
Many residents are actively working to make their homes more sustainable. In the case of listed buildings, this can sometimes be complicated. There is a need for more information and support. Residents would also like clarity on the heating solution for the neighbourhood.
The abundance of greenery in the neighbourhood plays a major part in making it a pleasant place to live. Residents would like to keep it that way. Key areas for attention include proper maintenance, sufficient play areas and tackling litter.
We’ll be working on these and other points together. The agenda sets out the actions to be taken.
The following areas will be a focus in the coming period. First and foremost, we will be investing time in fostering strong social cohesion. We will also be looking at what is needed in terms of traffic and transport. Together, we will ensure a safe neighbourhood. We are focusing on housing and sustainability. And we will continue to work on public spaces and local facilities.
| Objective | Action/point for attention | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Involve more residents in organising activities |
|
Neighbourhood Association, Stimenz |
| Keeping an eye out for residents who feel lonely | There are various social activities and WhatsApp groups in De Parken. Participants ensure that residents looking to socialise can join in. | Neighbourhood Association, Stimenz |
| Support for people who are homeless or living on the streets | The Action Plan on Homelessness has been drawn up for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. This plan focuses on:
|
Local council, police, enforcement agencies, Samen055, housing associations, Omnizorg, Salvation Army, street doctors, churches |
| Safe Koninginnelaan | In the near future, we will be carrying out road resurfacing work between Bas Backerlaan and Edisonlaan. Wider cycle lanes will give cyclists more space. We will also be modifying the bus stop to make it more accessible. | Municipality |
| Safe Vlijtseweg | We are redesigning Vlijtseweg to make the road safer. The plan This is stated on the council’s website. | Municipality |
| Fewer parking problems | We are ensuring there is sufficient parking space in the neighbourhood:
|
Local authority, residents |
| Getting to and from school safely | We advise schools to draw up a plan to ensure a safe school environment. Road Safety Netherlands can help with this. The province of Gelderland has resources for driving lessons. There will also be an article in the *Parkenblad* about road safety around schools. | Municipality |
| Safe junctions | Over the coming period, we will be updating the Apeldoorn Road Safety Action Plan. We are looking at which roads present safety concerns. We are taking into account the issues highlighted in the residents’ document for De Parken. The Action Plan can be found on the council’s website. | Municipality |
| Less disruption from events | The neighbourhood association is in discussion with the organisers of the Oranjepark concerts. Together, they are looking at ways to minimise disruption. Residents who would like to get in touch about this can email info@deparken.nl. | Neighbourhood Association |
| Increasing a sense of security |
|
Local authority, property managers and owners, police, enforcement agencies, WhatsApp group administrators, neighbourhood association, Halt, Stimenz, schools |
| A sufficient number of AEDs | The neighbourhood association is checking whether there are enough AEDs in the neighbourhood. It is also looking into whether there are enough trained first-aiders who know how to use an AED. | Neighbourhood Association |
| Support for making listed properties more sustainable |
|
Municipality |
| Preservation of a nationally protected townscape | There are clear rules in place to preserve the nationally protected townscape. We ensure that these rules are applied when alterations are made to listed buildings and other buildings of special interest. We also actively follow up on reports concerning building works and demolition. | Municipality |
| Clarity on green policy | Residents sometimes have questions about the mowing and tree-felling policies. We regularly share information about ecological mowing in the neighbourhood. On the webpage ‘Trees in Apeldoorn’ Residents can read more about the felling and replanting of trees. | Local authority, neighbourhood association |
| Restoring nature in the Wilhelmina Pond | We are asking Sportvisserij Oost-Nederland to remove the Wilhelmina Pond from the lists of fishing waters. This will help the pond to recover naturally. | Municipality |
| Less litter and drug-related waste | We’ll check whether the rubbish bins in the neighbourhood are in the right places. If necessary, we’ll put out extra rubbish bins. | Local authority, schools |
| Objective | Action/point for attention | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on quality of life and social cohesion | Various developments are taking place in and around De Parken: housing construction, a new swimming pool and the multi-storey car park. It is important to focus on quality of life and social cohesion right from the start. In doing so, we are looking at opportunities for people to meet, the design of public spaces and the connection with the existing neighbourhood. | Local authorities, housing associations, property developers, Stimenz |
| Safe cycle route | We are looking into whether it is necessary to adjust the lighting along the cycle route between Vlijtsemolen and Marialust. | Municipality |
| Resilient residents | If there is sufficient interest, the neighbourhood association will organise a meeting on cybercrime. | Neighbourhood Association |
| A suitable heating solution for the neighbourhood | The council’s aim is to adopt the Heating Programme by the end of 2027 at the latest. The programme will set out, for each neighbourhood, which heating solution is most suitable and when implementation will begin. | Local authority, Liander, housing associations |
| Attractive canal banks | We are drawing up a plan to increase recreational opportunities on and along the canal banks. | Municipality |
| A greener Johan Steenbergenstraat | We are looking into whether and how Johan Steenbergenstraat can be made greener. | Municipality |
| Objective | Action/point for attention | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Safe junctions | In the event of scheduled maintenance or a rise in the number of accidents, we investigate how safety at junctions can be improved. This involves:
|
Municipality |
| Safe Koninginnelaan | We are looking into how road safety on Koninginnelaan can be improved. We are taking residents’ concerns into account as we prepare for future maintenance work. We are also investigating whether the section between Langeweg and Bas Backerlaan can be redesigned sooner. | Municipality |
Do you have any questions about the project, or would you like to add to the questionnaire? If so, please get in touch with the staff at Eurus.
apeldoorn@eurus.nl
