Both residents of the Westenesch district and the De Ark caravan camp feel surprised by the plan to accommodate the homeless on Schietbaanweg in Emmen. The municipality of Emmen reported last week that it had bought a building and the surrounding land to house these so-called ‘birds of paradise’ in eight units. “This state of affairs can be called surprising,” said chairman Bas Holtrup of Dorpsbelangen Westenesch.
The intended location now consists of a house with a surrounding garden, where a cannabis nursery was found two years ago. The house was to be sold through an auction, but before that happened the municipality bought the property. At the beginning of last year, the municipality already announced that it was looking for a location for the so-called Birds of Paradise project. This focuses on sheltering homeless people who cause nuisance or unrest. These people often experience multiple problems on a psychiatric or social level. In other cases, the use of drugs and alcohol plays a role.
According to the municipality, this location is a suitable place very suitable. It is in an edge location. Westenesch is a few hundred meters away, but the N381 (Friesland route) separates the two. The location is also well hidden in the green, according to the municipality.
Local residents are not entirely reassured. Especially when it comes to communication. Dorpsbelangen Westenesch held its annual meeting last Monday. “Around half past four we heard the news from the municipality,” says Holtrup. “We immediately asked the municipality for more information, but they initially only wanted to provide it under embargo.” After some insistence, the village council receives a letter just before the meeting, the contents of which can be shared with residents. The letter mentions an information evening on April 3 in café Het Wapen van Emmen.
Holtrup: “We will certainly address the method of communication. We feel somewhat surprised by this initiative.” Moreover, the purchase by the municipality has caused some residents a bad feeling, according to the village chairman. “From the village there was also interest in the property. The municipality said that parties should wait for the auction. And that the municipality is hijacking the house in front of others. That is not sympathetic.”
According to Holtrup, it is difficult to determine whether the village is firmly for or against the plan. “That should be apparent from the information evening and the story of the municipality itself. We don’t know everything yet. As Village interests, we cannot and will not take a position on behalf of everyone.”
What Dorpsbelangen wants to focus on is a guarantee of safety in the village. “I understand that these are people with various problems that are difficult to maintain. If there is 24/7 supervision, for example, then we may look at it differently.” The village council mainly wants to know where it stands. “We are not conservative bastards who don’t want anything. We give everyone a place. But we want to know what consequences we have to take into account.” Inquiries at De Ark show that residents were not informed of the plans in advance. A resident said he had heard the news from neighbors in Westenesch. According to her, there is therefore a lot of interest in the information evening on 3 April.