From bicycle shed to cozy square: 11 x old photos of the Burgemeester Wegstapelplein

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Now we are sitting on the terrace at Eazie with a sandwich, for a cup of coffee with cake at De Verleiding or with an Italian ice cream on a bench. But in the past, the Burgemeester Wegstapelplein didn’t look so attractive at all.

It was mainly a functional square with the police station, a bank building and a bicycle shed. For 0.35 cents and later for 50 guilders a year you could park your bicycle or moped in the guarded shed. Now there are cozy terraces, benches and trees on the square: no longer recognizable! We went looking for old images of the Burgemeester Wegstapelplein in the Stadshart.

The city center didn’t exist yet

Before the construction of the Stadshart, work was first carried out on a new police station (1978). Below is a photo of the police station when the Burgemeester Wegstapelplein was not yet constructed.

Police station at the Burgemeester Wegstapelplein. Image: Municipal Archives

Construction of Mayor Wegstapplein

In the 1980s, the Burgemeester Wegstapelplein was laid out with new pavement, lampposts, bicycle racks, a bench and trees.

The square is ready

The first part of the Stadshart was opened to the public. On the newly constructed Burgemeester Wegstapelplein you could sit down for a while in between shopping.

Mayor Wegstapplein. Photo: Municipal Archives

Bike in the garage and get a message

For an errand in the Stadshart we parked our bicycle in one of the bicycle racks on the Burgemeester Wegstapelplein. Just a quick stop at the Konmar supermarket or get some fish at the Volendammer and hop back home.

Guarded bicycle shed

Biesieklette opened a guarded bicycle shed where you could leave your bicycle or moped for a few cents. The wooden office was later replaced by an aluminum cubicle as we still see it today in our city.

Renewed square

After a major renovation in the Stadshart, the Burgemeester Wegstapelplein also got a metamorphosis. New pavement, terraces and later wooden benches make the square a cozy place to have a drink or watch people.

Mayor Wegstapplein Zoetermeer
Mayor Wegstapplein. Photo: near Zoetermeer

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