An extra community building in Marsdijk, a dream square for De Borg child centre, signs for Landgoed Valkenstijn and security in the Kloosterveste shopping centre. These are just a few of the ideas that passed by tonight during the motion market at the town hall of Assen. In total there were 21 initiatives that presented their ideas to the councilors of the provincial capital.
The motion market is the conclusion of the Council on Tour, during which council members visited the neighborhoods of the provincial capital to hear what ideas are playing among the inhabitants.
All residents of Assen were able to explain their ideas at the motion market. And that happened. The councilors did have some feelings for some of the ideas. If the people’s representatives were enthusiastic about an idea, a sticker could be stuck from the party. 50PLUS did this, among other things, with the ladies who would like an extra community building in the Marsdijk district.
“We have neighborhood associations and a neighborhood building highly vandalized. It is an important point for our party. A neighborhood association connects residents of a neighborhood with each other and we think that’s important,” says party chairman Clemens Otto.
Nevertheless, Otto did ask Linda Kramer of activity association Marsdijk some questions. Because what should a neighborhood building like this cost? Where does it come from and why is a second community building needed in Marsdijk? “Marsdijk is a young district with about 12,000 inhabitants. And we only have one district building. In Assen-Oost, for example, 9,000 people live and there are seven places where residents can go,” says Kramer.
The need for a new place must therefore be recognized by the council members. That’s why Kramer is here tonight with two colleagues. “The current community center is often full and we cannot store all our things. We do a lot from home or look for an external location. But that is not always practical, because there is not always a toilet or running water. That is why we have an extra need a place in the area.”
Another initiative that tries to attract the attention of the council members is the ‘dream square’ of the De Borg child centre. A number of fathers took the initiative. “We actually want to make each square suitable for a target group. So one for the small children and the other for the older children. So there are three squares that suit each target group,” says father Maarten Snoep.
And those plans should not only suit the students, but the fathers also want to involve the local residents. “For example, we would like a vegetable garden that local residents can also use.”
Group chairman of the VVD Michiel Hasslacher has already put the sticker of the VVD on the idea. “We think it is important that children move and therefore understand that there is a need. But what I find special is that we as a municipality are not yet sufficiently able to see where that need lies. Because if you look here, there are many more people who would like money for a new playground.”
D66 faction leader Adinda Bornkamp also thinks the various initiatives to get children to exercise more are a good idea. “We think sport and games are important as a party. And on such an evening you come into good contact with the initiatives. They often already have concrete plans and are also realistic. Then I think that we as a party should do something with that. .”
Whether all plans can be realized? Hasslacher of the VVD finds this difficult. He thinks there are also other ways to realize multiple initiatives. “Whether we have to submit a motion for every playground? I don’t know yet. Perhaps this evening is also there to get the right people talking to each other. So that we put initiators in contact with the right official and that on that way their idea can also be realized.”
The PvdA also thinks that not all plans will become a motion. “Perhaps not every idea is a concrete motion, but sometimes it is also about bringing the right people into contact with each other. And that is also important,” says council member of that party Willard Bouwmeester.
The motions must be ready at the council meeting on July 20, after which they will be submitted. During this meeting, the framework letter will be discussed and it will be possible to see whether these initiatives fit within the budget.
The citizen’s idea can only be implemented if a majority of the council agrees with the motion.