The new roof tiles are on the roof, the bistro is almost ready. Café De Aanleg in Deurze will be extensively renovated in the near future, into the House of Drentsche Aa.
The large hall becomes a visitor center with offices and an open kitchen. In the back wall there will be a glass front with a view of the Deurzerdiep. The café has become a bistro and four short-stay apartments will be built in the attic. In short, café De Aanleg in Deurze undergoes a metamorphosis and becomes the home of Drentsche Aa National Park.
On National Park Day Sunday, visitors can take a look at the visitor center in the making and learn about the plans. Lines on the floor of the main hall indicate where what will be next. There the open kitchen with regional products, here the offices and meeting room and further on the counter. But what is almost ready is the bistro in the former café area.
Bistro
Especially for the open day, owners Arjen Vonck and Pieterjan Kok opened the bistro and terrace for coffee and cake. They bought De Aanleg last year from Harry Hilbrands, who ran the café-hall center for years. Vonck and Kok will arrange the catering section of the Huis van de Drentsche Aa. The bistro will open to the public in mid-June, says Vonck. The rest will follow in the coming months and that is quite a bit.
The duo works closely with the National Park Drentsche Aa consultative body, which wants to make the stream valley landscape the number one visitor center here. Secretary Kees Folkertsma gives a presentation on his laptop. ,,De Aanleg is easily accessible, it is located on the edge of the national park and with public transport to Assen and then you are there on the rental bike. Because we want as many visitors as possible to come by bike. That is why we also contacted the accommodation recreation in the region. You can be here within an hour of cycling.”
Underwater viewing hut
Everything will soon come together in De Aanleg, explains Folkertsma. “Recreation, catering and education.” Because in addition to an information center with open kitchen and large terrace, there will be a new open shed where schools can receive nature lessons. A ditch that leads to the Deuzerdiep is being excavated further for practical lessons and there are plans for an underwater viewing hut, where fish and other animals in the stream can be viewed through a glass wall.
Visitors to the open day view the construction drawings and presentation with interest. Former pub owner Harry Hilbrands also sees them. “You don’t have weddings and parties like before. I tried it with country & western for a while. Singer Waylon has performed here. Then it became a cafe. But you have to keep up with the times and the new concept has a chance of success. Many tourists pass by here, especially hikers and cyclists. And many cyclists who want coffee and cake. Man, on Sunday I already had the loot at twelve o’clock in the afternoon.”