You just have to step in the Alkmaar Sportpaleis and you immediately see where the shoe pinches. There are buckets in several places to absorb the water seeping inwards. A deep tear runs throughout the central area. The city council will decide on Thursday about the future of the 60 -year -old accommodation. “It would be nice if something new came,” says track cyclist Reinier Honig in the TV broadcast of NH Sport.
“I have not experienced this so much,” says track trainer Herman Schenk when he sees the drops in one of the buckets fall one after the other on this drizzly Monday. He has been walking around the Alkmaar cycling track for decades that is also used by students and indoor football players. Then, pointing to the middle area: “The floor is torn, very unfortunate.”
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“I hope that the city council agrees with the proposal to build new,” says Schenk. A few weeks ago he was one of the speakers in the committee meeting about the future of the Sportpaleis. At that time, the members did not see a million renovation sitting and expressed their preference for new construction. Costs 38 million euros, but the new, multifunctional accommodation can last for 40 years instead of 25 years.
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Reinier Honig also hopes that after years of waiting this week the light will go green. “If the track leaves for 2 years and something new is coming back that would be nice. For the track cyclists, but also for the youth and the recreational athletes.”
As a rider, the ten -time National Staying Champion will no longer benefit from new construction. “I think the end of the Sportpaleis will be the same with the end of my career,” laughs the 41-year-old rider. He once started in Alkmaar when there was only a concrete outside track. The roof and the wooden floor came later.
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Two weeks ago Honig became Stayeren in Alkmaar during the NK Stayeren Dressed as Dutch champion by Haarlemmer Serginho Wilshaus. You will see a report about the art of this separate discipline in cycling in this NH Sport broadcast.
Furthermore, also attention to AFC – Spakenburg In the Second Division and we are looking for Dave Kwakman. The 20-year-old midfielder from Volendam has been rented by AZ to FC Groningen since last month.
You can see the first TV broadcast of NH Sport every Monday at 5.10 pm, after which it is repeated every half hour. You can also click the video at the top for the entire broadcast of Monday 24 February.