Two training fields from football club RFC in Raamsdonksveer are spared. The plan for a reception location for Ukrainian refugees and homes for starters and emergency seekers on the fields is gone. The proposal previously led to a lot of unrest at adjacent sports clubs, but the municipality of Geertruidenberg now has a new place in mind.
“We are not against asylum reception, because after all everyone deserves a place. But now sports fields have to be sacrificed”, hockey club DDHC and HMC handball club said earlier to Omroep Brabant.
They also expressed their concerns about increasing traffic and an increasing sense of insecurity among their youthful players. The clubs feared that this persistent feeling of fear would cost members in the long term.
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In addition, the training fields are on ‘Best a after -top of Raamsdonksveer’, the clubs said. A location closer to the center, where they are more social control, would be more desirable according to them. This also makes it easier for asylum seekers and refugees to integrate. But many locations in the center have been designated for housing. And the municipality does not want to use it for asylum shelter.
Football club RFC itself had no objection to the return of the two training fields, because it would be compensated by the municipality with the construction of artificial grass pitches and field lighting.
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Alternative location
Currently, 50 asylum seekers and 126 Ukrainian refugees are staying in the old location of the Het Hoge Veer care institution, but Housing Association Thuisvester wants to build homes there. The city council decided on Thursday that they can continue to live here until November 1, 2028.
Even afterwards, the municipality of Geertruidenberg must comply with the Spreading Act. The two training fields were nominated as a location for an asylum seekers’ center, but because of the concerns of the handball and hockey club a fiery desire to investigate an alternative location.
It has now been found. The municipality appears to be the owner of two plots that are located west of the training fields and are separated from this with rows of trees. A vote on this in the city council was suspended two weeks ago, but on Thursday the majority of councilors pointed to the plots as a new preferred location.