There has been an aviary in the center of Barger-Compacuum for more than half a century. It has been very quiet there in recent years. The cage was empty, not a bird in sight. To the delight of villagers, Gerard Hogelink recently brought new life to it.
Gerard Hogelink (63) remembers it well. As a boy he could regularly be found at the Barger-Compascuum aviary. He loved it, all those colorful and chattering animals. The birds were in an enclosure on public property, on the corner of Postweg/Jan Berendsstraat. Hogelink grew up in Emmen and often visited Barger-Compascuum because his relatives lived there. “Do you see that vacant catering building across the street? My grandfather and later my uncle Gerard ran Café Hogelink there.”
Café Hogelink has not existed for years. Other operators came and the building has not been used in recent months. It will be demolished and then apartments will be built on this site. The aviary where Hogelink often watched as a child was empty until recently. It has not been possible to find a manager for it in recent years. This was to the disappointment of Local Interest, the owner of the birdhouse. The aviary has been in the village of approximately two thousand inhabitants for more than half a century. Barger-Compascuum received the animal shelter in 1966 from the municipality of Emmen during the celebration of its 100th anniversary.
Behind the scenes
The story goes that KVP councilor Geert Hartmann (1912 -1990), born and raised in Barger-Compascuum, advocated for that gift behind the scenes in the town hall. The local bird association De Gewinge Vrienden was given management of the building and cared for the birds. It was a time when many residents had canaries and parakeets in a cage behind the house, but also pigeons, chickens and rabbits. Every year there was a bird and small livestock exhibition in the back room of Hogelink.
That time is over. Just like the period in which the bird association managed the aviary and cared for birds. After the association announced that it could no longer provide a manager, a private individual came twice more to take over the job, but this was not for a long time. The hope at Local Interest is that this is now the case with Gerard Hogelink. Because it is a shame not to use such an animal enclosure and many residents like it when there are birds in it.
Cheerful
Hogelink, who moved from Klazienaveen to Barger-Compascuum in 2016, became manager after he met a local interest board member during a walk with his dog. “We started talking about all kinds of things in the village and the aviary was also discussed. I immediately thought: that is something for me. I have loved birds all my life and have them myself.”
All birds from Hogelink have now been moved to the village aviary. “Budgeriets and zebra finches.” Many people have noticed that there is life again in the bird enclosure. “Do you see those other birds in that cage? Those are five lovebirds, given to them by villagers. And more other birds will be added in the near future.” The sixty-year-old, who will be replaced in his absence by fellow villager Hennie Dijks, smiles. “Isn’t it nice that this aviary from 1966 is being used again? Early this morning there was a woman with small children watching. Well, how nice is that? You can hardly start the day in a more cheerful way.”