About fifty relatives demonstrated on Monday against the renovation plans of the Zuylen cemetery in Breda. Director Roel Stapper is building, among other things, an arena with a stage and grandstand, where performances with music can be held outside of funeral services. The opponents, who only want peace and quiet, find it a shame: “Stapper should go and work at Efteling.”
To keep his head above water financially, director Roel Stapper is going to transform the Zuylen cemetery into Park Zuylen, which is accessible to everyone, he recently told Omroep Brabant.
There is already an urn garden, a special NAC field, a walking route and an above-ground cemetery. In September there will also be a large, new work of art. This showpiece, called Adore, is an arena with a stage and grandstand for all kinds of outdoor activities. “DJ Tiësto can certainly come and perform in Zuylen park”, Stapper said about this.
A comment that went completely wrong with a number of relatives. They don’t want any music or other fuss at the cemetery at all. A petition has now been started that has already been signed more than five hundred times. There was also a small demonstration on Monday.
“We come here to mourn and then want peace and quiet.”
“This is not a recreation park, but a final resting place,” says Janny van Wanrooy, one of the initiators. “People go to park Valkenberg or the city center for fun. We come here to mourn and we want peace and quiet and not to hear someone else’s music. Or a concert. They just do that inside. It has to be a be an oasis of peace, because we paid burial rights for that.”
Director Roel Stapper of Park Zuylen thinks that a group of demonstrators reacts ‘rather violently’. “It is done with little respect and that is something that they themselves ask for. I have said that I will receive the petition, so there is no need to make such a fuss now. We are not going to make a big hold festivals and I’ve already told them that.”
“Zuylen cannot guarantee safety, because our graves have already been robbed.”
The opponents of his plans are not satisfied. In fact, there is a lot of emotion. “His plans hurt us, because our family is here,” says Janny van Wanrooy. “We don’t want music here, but we don’t want walking routes either. I can already see people taking pictures of our graves here. Then an anger will arise that shocks Roel Stapper.”
“Zuylen cannot guarantee safety at the moment,” continues Van Wanrooy. “All our graves have been looted here before and the bronze was removed. He should start working in Efteling with his attractions.”
“Zuylen must remain where it is intended for,” says Betty Damen, who also has family there. “And I think it’s outrageous that we weren’t informed.”
“A string orchestra once a month seems fine to me.”
Certainly not all relatives think this way. “Festivals with beer and such go too far for me,” says Els Verheijen. “But that is not going to happen and once a month outside a string orchestra is quite fine for me. I think the fuss is a bit exaggerated, because if people have to pay double grave duties, these people will also rear up.”
According to director Stapper, the cemetery has to change course to keep its head above water. “It is necessary, because otherwise burial will no longer be affordable,” he says. “We will therefore continue with our plans in a respectful manner. DJ Tiësto will therefore remain welcome here. Inside or quietly outside.”
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