“We also have our ears and eyes open, and we now know that the Red Cross building has had an important social function for a long time. Our aim is to keep it that way, and that it has a combination function, of both our childcare and neighborhood activities.”
Yet Otten does not want to get too far ahead of the troops. “We still have to figure out everything ourselves, how we will set up childcare in the building. There is quite a bit involved in terms of safety regulations. But it certainly has our attention.”
There will be a meeting with the municipality of Assen on Monday, says Otten. “Then we will hear what the wishes are.” A month ago, SP and City Party PLOP raised the alarm with the Municipal Executive about the impending loss of the building as a meeting place, since the Red Cross had put it up for sale.
In the response, the council also states that it wants to maintain such a place in the district. Research in the neighborhood indicated that there is a need among residents for an accessible meeting place. That is why the municipality also made an offer for the property last month, but that failed.
A few years ago, the De Steiger community center was also closed in the district. Actium is building an apartment complex on that site.