Former director Tjesse van de Kamp (70) has been fighting against the demolition of the former Esdal College in Borger for months. His efforts are now supported by Bond Heemschut, a national organization committed to the preservation of cultural heritage. Together they try to prevent the oldest part of the building from 1930 from being demolished and making way for housing.
“It is incomprehensible that such a characteristic building is not preserved,” says Van de Kamp. “Bond Heemschut shares that opinion and is now also looking into this issue.”
The municipality has indicated that style elements of the current building, such as the tiled corridor and the tile tableau, will return in the new building. But according to Van de Kamp that is not a solution. “Incorporating these details into a new building will be much more expensive than simply preserving the authentic facade. That is not only a financial, but also a cultural loss.”
The lack of research into the possibility of preserving the oldest part of the building bothers Van de Kamp the most. “In 2021, it had already been agreed within the municipality that all options would be investigated. Yet the choice for demolition appears to have been made in advance.” Documents that Van de Kamp has requested from the municipality show that the architectural firm has not explained all sides. “It is distressing that a renovation option has never been seriously considered, while this could actually be cheaper and preserve the soul of the village.”
According to Van de Kamp, the architect has characteristically named sixteen elements in the building, such as the facade, the corridor with its tiling and the historical tableau above the benches. “That’s just the entire building.”