Banging in the sand: local residents take their first steps on Hoorn’s city beach

This afternoon, the performing parties first addressed the guests in the theatre, next to the beach. About 300 people listened with interest to the urban beach project, which has received international attention even as far as Mozambique for the way it has been developed, said Reijer Baas, manager of Alliantie Markermeerdijken.

Arnold Langenveld of Hoogheemraadschap thinks ‘Hoorn has become even more beautiful’. And jokes to see how soon there will be a pontoon in front of the beach with André Rieu’s ‘Markermeer ballade’.

Until the last minute, work was still being done today to finish the first part of the city beach on time. Yesterday, the trash cans were placed at the last minute and signage was put up.

crowd pleaser

Hoorn expects it to attract a large audience. But how much exactly? “That is difficult to estimate. But with about 400 meters of coastline, there must be a place to be found,” says alderman Arthur Helling. The second part of the city beach will open next year. “Then there will be another 500 meters of beach.”

Will there also be a lifeguard? Helling: “No there isn’t. It’s a public recreation area.” But there are precautions: such as the ball lines in the water for the depth and boards with the ‘rules of the game’.

‘Playa Grote Waal’

“Of course it was already playa Grote Waal, that’s what it really is now,” says resident Susanne, who always swam with her children on the dike from the backward neighborhood, the Grote Waal. “You can walk here, beautiful nature. We will certainly enjoy it.”

73-year-old Marga Heddes was the first to venture into fitness equipment. By scanning a QR code, the instructions for use follow. On all fours, she pushes herself up into the loose sand. “That didn’t go very smoothly yet, but it will. I live nearby and I’m going to practice quite a lot.”

After the scoop by the inhabitants, tomorrow on 1 July it will really be that time: from 8 o’clock in the morning everyone can go to the city beach.