Klazienaveen would like to take better advantage of its location on the Veenvaart. Recreational boaters find it difficult to find the center of the southeastern Drenthe village. EOP Klazienaveen, the village representation, wants to turn that tide. Plans for this will be worked on in the coming year together with the trade association and the Veenvaart Cooperative.
‘A beautiful harbor with a place to turn around, sanitary facilities and better maintenance. If I could write a blank check myself, I would do it like this.” Secretary Jan Twickler of EOP Klazienaveen sees it this way.
Together with village chairman Berend van der Kaap, he looks out on a neglected part of the Van Echtenskanaal. The waterway used to run through the heart of Klazienaveen, but that part was filled in years ago. That is why the canal nowadays comes to a dead end at the ovonde, behind which the shopping center is located.
On the other side, the stretch of water is connected to the Veenvaart between Erica and Ter Apel. But this goes in a large arc around Klazienaveen and therefore skips the Klazienaveen exit. Partly because this is a dead end. And that is a shame, says Twickler. “We are receiving signals about this from both residents and entrepreneurs.”
A good and certainly necessary step would be to repair the approximately 1 kilometer long canal between Veenvaart and the center of the village. Because things are anything but flourishing at the moment. “A lot of sprawl and greenery that needs pruning shears,” says Twickler.
There is a jetty and water and power supplies. Van der Kaap: “The maintenance has died down a bit.” Also a point of attention, then. “It just doesn’t look attractive enough to build.” Dredging is also necessary to allow larger boats to reach the center. Twickler: “It creates a buzz, a boost for the village and is certainly attractive for our entrepreneurs.”
The village council, the shopkeepers’ association and the Veenvaart cooperative will sit down in the coming year to develop plans. Twickler: “We hope to be able to come up with something concrete next year and present it to the municipality.”
A beautiful marina with a whirlpool and a good reference from the Veenvaart towards the heart of Klazienaveen. According to chairman Dick Foorthuis of the trade association Klazienaveen (Haveka), this would be a huge boost for Klazienaveen. “It would be a positive development for our catering industry and shops. After all, they are also potential customers.
Chairman Stoffer Appeldorn of the Veenvaart Cooperative thinks that refreshing the connection between Veenvaart and the village center can mean a lot for the village. “Recreational boaters then enter the village. From there they can get an impression of the center. Or it is a nice starting point for a walking or cycling tour. That is also possible.” The Veenvaart will bring a positive development to the villages of Nieuw-Amsterdam/Veenoord and soon also to Emmer-Compascuum. “I think that Klazienaveen is also extra stimulated to respond to this.”