New construction containing a theater, library, art center and town hall in Delfzijl is one step closer. On Wednesday, the municipal council reserved an amount of 2.7 million euros to put the demands and wishes on paper.
The plans for new construction at Molenbergplein have been in the pipeline for a long time. In 2019, the council of the then municipality of Delfzijl opted for a new building with theater, library and art foundation IVAK. The current De Molenberg theater from 1976 is leaky and hopelessly outdated. Theater boss Daniël Wever has been waiting for a new building for years. Delay was actually not possible.
Yet the plans were thrown in the trash a year ago. 22.6 million euros had been set aside for the new cultural building, but last April the construction price turned out to be 9 million euros more expensive. The municipality was wondering how this could be done. It was investigated whether it could be done cheaper by placing the town hall and other facilities in the cultural building .
Enough space and financially feasible
That idea became concrete in September. The Municipal Executive investigated the possibilities of a so-called ‘House of Culture and Administration’. There would be room for the town hall, theater, library and IVAK. Conclusion: there is enough space and money to implement this idea at Molenbergplein.
The desire for a central town hall in Eemsdelta has existed for some time. When the municipalities of Appingedam, Delfzijl and Loppersum merged into the municipality of Eemsdelta on January 1, 2021, it was initially decided to keep the three separate town halls in use. But just like De Molenberg, they are outdated. Working in three places also appears to be inefficient for civil servants.
‘Now that a decision has been made, the exciting part comes’
Molenberg director Daniël Wever was present at the city council on Wednesday and is ‘very positive’ about the new design. “It’s just the very first step, but it’s a very important one. I am very happy that it appears to be feasible and I think it is a good development that the municipality has taken it up so quickly.”
Wever knows that there is still a long way to go. “It is still very global. It is now only about the square meters and the money. Now comes the exciting part,” he says. “What will it look like, how big will the theater halls and the foyer be, how big will the town hall be, etc. and so on.”
The plan with all requirements must be ready in September. An architect can then be appointed to create a design. It is expected that it will take a few more years before construction begins.