Walk into a park on a sunny day like this Tuesday and chances are you’ll see a homeless person. The Spoorpark in Tilburg, for example, is not only popular with passers-by, camping guests and students who have an introduction week. Homeless people like Jan also like to be there. “I like it here, with water, flowers, a skating rink: really cosy. This is a little piece of paradise on earth.”
Jan is sitting alone on a bench, but he is not the only one today. Also on the bench next to him is a homeless person. And a little further is a group. They are easy to recognize, because otherwise on such a hot day, in addition to maybe a shoulder bag, why do you also have a winter coat, passport and mini Buddha statue with you? “From one moment to the next I was homeless and lost all my things,” Jan tells his story.
After complaints from neighbors about nuisance, Jan was evicted from his house and ended up on the street in May. “I’m ashamed,” he confesses honestly. And because he is so ashamed, he does not want to be recognizable and his name is made up. He told his mother. “And well, if you see them walking around with a bag, you can see that with some people the penny drops. You see them thinking: ‘He must be homeless’.”
Jan sometimes has contact with the group a little further: “Not all of them are homeless, luckily. I’ll say good morning and have a chat. But it’s not that because I’m homeless too, I have to sit next to that all day.”
“These special people come to the station. There is much more space here.”
Jan finds it pleasant in the Spoorpark: “There are only a few benches at the station, so you can’t decide who will sit next to you. And then there are those special people. There is much more space here.”
Jan is very welcome, says Anja Eijkemans, assistant park manager of the Spoorpark: “The park belongs to and for everyone. Everyone can feel at home here, including homeless people. As long as they don’t disturb other visitors and don’t leave trash lying around.”
And that’s where things sometimes go wrong, Eijkemans admits. “If they are noisy, we notice that parents or grandparents with young children are bothered by this. Then we ask if it can be a little less and if they can sit somewhere else.”
“We notice that guests are disturbed by that noisy group.”
But not everyone takes it lightly. Rob Dingemans of the Stadscamping in the Spoorpark is not happy with the hanging group in front of his door: “We notice that our guests are disturbed by that noisy group, those men with their scooters. But what do you do about it?”
The Spoorpark organization is in contact with homeless shelter Traverse. Eijkemans: “If we think someone needs extra attention, we call to let them know.”
At night the Spoorpark closes and then homeless people like Jan have to seek refuge elsewhere. He then sleeps at the station: “Just outside. I don’t sleep in the shelter. I’ll tell you honestly: I find it a bit scary going in there. There are also addicts. I smoke a joint once in a while, but I’ve never used hard drugs. So I would rather not sit with those people.”
Jan’s life has been hard since he was homeless. Still, he remains positive: “I’m still very happy. I’m still healthy, the weather is nice. I’m already happy with my can of energy drink and a sandwich. I get my happiness from nature and beautiful people.”
