Apartment dwellers in Oudenbosch can’t believe their luck. Last year the balconies of their home collapsed, but after ten months they can finally have a cup of coffee outside again. The past few weeks have been hard work. “Now I can put my plants outside again and enjoy the view. I am very happy, especially with the beautiful weather,” says resident Manja Boon.
In the night of Wednesday, September 2, there was great panic at the Lieutenant Looymanshof. Balconies broke down, but miraculously no one was injured. The entire apartment building was evacuated as a precaution. Only when the entire complex was propped up a few days later, were the residents allowed to go home.
“I couldn’t wash the windows all this time.”
Recently, the patience of the residents has been put to the test. They were wedged between strut beams and scaffolding posts. The remaining balconies were closed with beams because of the danger of collapse.
Manja: “Finally back outside after ten months, I really missed it. I was going crazy with that bar in front of the door, it made me claustrophobia. Besides, I couldn’t wash the windows all this time because I couldn’t reach them.”
John Iedema, Manja’s partner, is very pleased with his new balcony, although he thought it would take a long time: “Almost a year has passed and that is a bit crazy, isn’t it. We could only get fresh air in by opening the front door, but that doesn’t work. We also couldn’t use the air conditioning because it had to be removed from the balconies.”
“It was a beautiful and special project.”
The new balconies on the 32 apartments are extra sturdy to prevent repetition. “All the balconies were on the verge of collapsing. There was a life-threatening situation and it is now over,” John is sure. At the request of the residents, trees and shrubs were also removed behind the apartment building, which caused nuisance.
Contractor Wim de Koster looks back on a beautiful and special project. “This was a very special job for us with all the media attention. But we are happy that we were able to do this for these people. The atmosphere was also very friendly. If there was something, we immediately solved it with the residents. It was fun to do.”
“The balconies are much bigger now.”
John Iedema: “It is indeed neatly done, hats off to the contractor. The balconies have become neater and larger. It has been made much more solid than it was, with piles up to a meter and a half into the ground. So nothing happens with that anymore.”
It remains to be seen whether the residents will ever be financially compensated. They have not heard anything about this from the landlord. It is too expensive for residents to go to court individually for this. “I don’t expect anything more from it,” says John.
“The Christmas tree can go on the balcony again.”
Residents can expect a surprise from contractor De Koster. “Because we have worked so well here, we want to treat the residents with a chip cart at the beginning of September.”
Manja is even looking forward to the festive month of December. “Then I can finally put a Christmas tree on our balcony again.” John doubts: “Then we can’t go on our balcony yet, Manja.”
ALSO READ: Balconies collapsed in Oudenbosch: ‘We heard a loud bang’
