‘Boring and soulless’: will a major metamorphosis make the heart of Heerhugowaard beat again?

Although the municipality has one on the Coolplein behind the Middenwaard shopping center new city center has created, for many residents the soul still lies in the center of Centrumwaard. The shopping and catering area that connects the Middenweg and the Raadhuisplein. But nowadays there is little to do there – especially for the youth.

The village square mainly serves as a large parking lot. There is hardly any room to meet each other. The range of shops is limited and the catering area is increasingly thinning out.

At the end of 2020, the well-known party center Marlène was sold after 32 years of loyal service. The building on Middenweg is still empty. Only during the annual fair and the Tour de Waard event does it come alive again on the terrace. The doors of Bier & Proeflokaal de Geuzen also closed earlier. And in an even more distant past the Stamcafé, loved by many.

Not a pleasant square

“Heerhugowaard lacks a bustling center,” says 32-year-old Rutger Kamper. “We can do it! Just look at the fair or the Tour de Waard cycling race. We like to get together. But outside of these events, there is a lack of activities. There is also no square where people like to meet, such as on the Waagplein in Alkmaar. “

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According to residents, the lack of greenery and the sleek, horizontal buildings from the 1960s and 1980s have given Centrumwaard an atmospheric and petrified appearance.

‘Uncared for and shabby’

The shopping area on the Middenweg is also in need of renovation, according to 37-year-old Ymkje. “There is a deathly atmosphere and it looks very unkempt. When I drive past the Raadhuisplein and the Middenweg, it seems so shabby. It is not inviting at all.”

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“The different styles do not benefit cohesion,” responds councilor John Does, who is in charge of the project. “To bring the village identity back to the area, we are taking the historic ribbon of the Middenweg as a starting point.”

More terraces and shops

In the coming years, the center will be redesigned and made greener. “Raadhuisplein must become a cozy, open village square again. With sufficient meeting places, more terraces and an extensive range of shops,” said the councilor.

What exactly will happen to the buildings and facades on Raadhuisplein is still being investigated. In any case, the kiosks will be renovated and placed in a different location so that they fit better into the new streetscape.

The metamorphosis of the Middenweg, past and present. Do you still recognize it?

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The Middenweg will regain its village character with, among other things, a tree-lined avenue. The roadway will be renovated and narrowed. After the work, you may not drive faster than 30 km per hour.

The sidewalk in front of the shops is actually being made wider. “In a number of places there is room for a terrace, for example,” says Does. The facades of various buildings along the Middenweg are being renovated and should soon hint again at the historic style of the past.

The councilor hopes that the metamorphosis will also inspire other developers in the area. “Of course, it also requires commitment from market parties to get started and contribute to the desired transformation. But if one sheep is over, more often follow.”

‘Has been playing for 40 years’

That it Masterplan Centrumwaard is now finally there, is quite special. The redesign was discussed by the parties involved for years. “This has been going on for about forty years,” the councilor explains.

“We therefore sat down with residents, entrepreneurs and associations with a blank sheet of paper. They know this place and know what is missing.” The newly designed village center is expected to be ready in 2040.

The Middenweg and the Raadhuisplein in earlier times:

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The once small village grew in more than half a century into a city with more than 60,000 inhabitants. To keep up with this growth spurt, many homes had to be built quickly, Reint Mellema (74) explains. As an urban planner, he was involved in the development of Heerhugowaard for many years.

“The main elements of spatial planning are living, working, traffic and recreation. These four must be developed simultaneously. If you develop one more than the other, this will add up and become expensive.”

Lost track

Due to all these rapid developments, the municipality has lost its historical identity and beauty in various places, Mellema explains. “Heerhugowaard therefore has the image of being soulless and dead, to summarize. I prefer to translate it to: is it still pleasant in Heerhugowaard?”

Within all zoning plans, the focus was mainly on housing. Less space for recreation and relaxation. “Heerhugowaard is one large expansion plan for residential areas. There you lose track a bit in creating a pleasant atmosphere. So that unpleasant atmosphere has systematically developed. Nothing is more difficult than getting rid of that image.”

From the 1960s onwards, modern architecture had to be primarily functional. “As little money as possible was spent on decorations and beauty. It’s a shame,” Mellema responds.

Because the eye also wants something. “I sometimes compare it with those historic city centers. A street pattern has been created there like a maze. People like to be surprised. Hordes of tourists still come there. Well, they don’t come to the center of Heerhugowaard.”

Thinking out of the box

Several studies even show that more greenery and ‘beautiful’ architecture have a positive influence on our health health and the extent to which we feel happy. “Let someone who thinks out of the box develop plans for this. Such as an artist or a philosopher. They often come up with creative answers to these types of questions.”