Location manager Rik-Jan Kraak is also pleased with the arrival of the kitchens. “In the evenings it is now busy, there are forty to fifty people cooking. You then see the solidarity, self-reliance and how cozy it is together in the kitchen. It is also easier for our staff to get in touch with the residents.”
The atmosphere in the Expo now seems to be improving, but that was not the case for a long time. In the summer months, demonstrations were held a number of times because residents were not satisfied with the living conditions. According to the people, the toilets were dirty, the showers broken, the air conditioning out of order and the privacy insufficient. Mayor Marco Out came to see the situation with his own eyes.
A lot has changed in recent times in terms of living conditions, says Kraak. “We have taken it very seriously. We have focused on hygiene, everything is now cleaned twice a day. We also organize more activities, such as table football and we put up a large TV screen on which we watch the World Cup football. That the residents being able to cook for yourself is the icing on the cake.”