The damage to the gnome forest in Erp that was caused by destructive festival goers will be compensated. The organization of the Harmony of Hardcore and 7th Sunday festivals draws a lot of money. The festivals also promise to better monitor the forest. That is too late for initiators Eline Kanters and her mother of the gnome forest. They take a step back: “Not now.”
There’s a reason they’re withdrawing for a while. For the second year in a row, destruction was caused to the adjacent gnome forest during the festivals. Gnomes were stolen or destroyed, the forest was ‘decorated’ with toilet paper and there was plenty of defecation in the forest where small children regularly play. “We are not going to clean up someone else’s mess,” says Eline Kanters.
The village council in Erp examines the damage and uses the money from the festivals to bring new gnomes into the forest. The festivals also promised better oversight. “The festivals have said that before. But that was also disappointing. We have to wait and see.”
‘Too bad’
Eline and her mother have indicated to the village council that they are taking a step back. “I started the gnome forest with my mother in corona time. But if so much is demolished and this filth is removed, then the fun is over for us. Very unfortunate. This could have been prevented.”
The village council is now looking for someone who will be ultimately responsible for the gnome forest. “Someone who takes the lead. My mother and I would like to support this as a volunteer in the background and help if necessary. But we don’t want to do that in the foreground anymore. We’re done with it for a while. We don’t want that burden carry more on our shoulders,” says Eline.
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