The Gouverneurstuin in Assen will again close earlier in the winter months. From next Tuesday, the gates of the park will close in the evenings. The municipality of Assen has decided this to prevent nuisance.
In the winter period, visitors can visit the garden until 5 p.m. Last year, the garden was also closed earlier in the evenings. “This to test whether this would limit nuisance. We received many positive reactions to this,” the municipality writes. The closure will last until April 1, when daylight saving time resumes. After that, the garden is open again until 20:00.
Earlier this year, the municipality evaluated the early closure based on the experiences of local residents, police figures and figures from the enforcement team in Assen. This showed that the problem in the garden had been solved, but the nuisance moved to the adjacent Drostenlaan. This is a lane from the Drents Museum towards the Zuidersingel.
As a result, the municipality decided to increase the presence of the police and enforcement and to adjust the lighting in Drostenlaan. This was positively experienced by local residents, according to the municipality. “We keep our sights on the entire area, in and around the garden,” says a spokesperson for the municipality.
The municipality has been struggling with the nuisance in the Gouverneurstuin for years. Local residents and visitors complain about drug use, drug dealers, alcohol use, prostitution, noise pollution, fights, urinating and defecating in public, waste and vandalism. Visitors to the Gouverneurstuin are also harassed and events are disrupted.
In addition to the early closure, the municipality took other measures in the past to reduce crime. This was done with camera surveillance, an increased police presence and enforcement, the handing out of fines and adjustment of the lighting. Causes of nuisance can also be banned from the area.