With some fear of heights, alderman Win Bijman van Enkhuizen stepped into the bowl this morning. He had the task of screwing the gold-colored wind vane back onto the top of De Koepoort. The prominent entrance gate of Enkhuizen has been restored to its former glory after a six-month restoration.
Willem Boeder, co-owner of the construction company EAB, is proud to watch as the alderman performs the symbolic act at a great height. Born in Enkhuizer, he was already involved 25 years ago in the renovation of the national monument, which was built in 1574. “Then I was hammering upstairs as a kid. And now we were allowed to do the renovation again. That’s fantastic, really great.”
Big job
It was a big job. The work took half a year. Think of the repair of natural stone, the pointing and the cracks in the facades. Furthermore, maintenance and repair work took place on the wooden ornaments and slate cover. The lead was also partly replaced and the exterior was repainted. “There was leakage, for years. A lot of wood rot had been detected. We also warned about that.”
Bijman is now back with both feet on the ground. “I would have liked to stay a little longer at the top, because the view is beautiful.”
The restoration of De Koepoort should not take much longer, says Bijman. “It has been necessary for a number of years, as Enkhuizen we have really saved for that. As a college, we invest heavily in the heritage in Enkhuizen. And it is important to preserve this heritage in optimal condition for future generations.”
In the meantime Boed enjoys a cake – with De Koepoort as an imprint. But what if the monument needs a facelift in 25 years? “Then I lie with my legs stretched out and enjoy the guys who are busy.”