In the green residential area of ​​Lincoln Park, people have to roll up their sleeves themselves

No fewer than 1,600 houses should be built on the south side of Hoofddorp. Two schools, a shopping center, parking garages, Lincolnpark is one of the largest residential projects in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. Although a number of social housing units have already been built, construction is now really starting with the laying of the foundations of the schools.

The district is not only an important project in terms of scale, says Jurgen Nobel, the councilor responsible for housing: “The entire district will become energy neutral, that is the most important obligation we have placed on house builders. Cars hardly enter the district, and all the communal greenery is set up and maintained by the residents themselves.”

This raises the question of how realistic it is to expect residents to get started with their green fingers. Nobel is not at all concerned about this, even though there is no initiative from the municipality to set this up.

“The message to interested parties is clear from the start: if you want to live here, you will have to do it yourself. If that doesn’t appeal to you, and you would rather have your car in a parking lot in front of your door, then this neighborhood is maybe not for you.”

This does not mean that the municipality leaves the neighborhood completely to its fate. One hectare of land along the Bennebroekerweg has been put into use by the Meergroen foundation of Haarlemmermeer climate mayor Franke van der Laan. He coordinates countless green projects in the Netherlands and abroad with the idea that if you make being sustainable fun, there will be much more interest in it.

An orchard is now being set up on the site in Hoofddorp, and there will be greenhouses and vegetable gardens. Just last month, pizzas were baked on site in a self-built pizza oven, with grain from an adjacent field. It is just an example of what Van der Laan is trying to achieve: “Even the municipality is amazed at what we get done by not wasting our time with meetings.”

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Van der Laan can’t wait to get started with the residents, but also with the students of Lincolnpark, for example: “We would of course love to work with the students in biology classes in the neighborhood and here on our site. And some of the The agreement we now have with the municipality is that we will also organize greenery in the neighborhood with residents. Look, then you have something.”

Spraying concrete and laying asphalt

That does not mean that Van der Laan is all praise for the arrival of Lincoln Park: “I really believe that the housing crisis must be tackled. But it seems a bit as if the municipality thinks that sustainable construction is the same as the climate crisis. They must quickly realize that you will never become greener by spraying concrete and laying asphalt. Especially if you really want to do something about the climate.”

Van der Laan himself believes that we still have a few years before the climate crisis really catches up with us as humanity. At the rate at which Lincoln Park is being built, he will certainly not be reassured. The first plans were presented in 2018, but the district must not be completely finished until 2030.

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According to Councilor Nobel, there is a good reason for this: “We want to continue to check during construction whether this district continues to lead the way in terms of sustainable construction. We accept that it will therefore take a little longer.”

It remains to be seen whether the last house will really be completed in 2030, although Nobel remains optimistic: “We have to be honest that quite a bit has happened economically in recent times. You see costs rising, some projects are no longer possible at all. on, but let’s stay positive and say it will be a success.”