For Johan van den Brink, advisor to the board on the move and former vice-chairman of RKVV Velsen, the news was not unexpected. “It was certainly disappointing, especially when you have been working on something for so long. We thought we had convinced the parties that were still in doubt. That turned out not to be the case.”
Protected area
The decision is good news for Santpoorters Monique Korzelius and Jan de Graaf, residents of the Halingerweg.. “It was a relief for us. At first it was tense, because most council members had not yet decided whether they would vote for or against.” In the end it turned out that the majority of votes were against. “At least now everyone knows where they stand.”
The land where RKVV Velsen would move to is located behind the houses on Halingerweg and Santpoortse Dreef. It is a complex story, because the club would move to a Special Provincial Landscape (BPL). The fact that it is a BPL area certainly played a decisive role in the decision of the municipal council. To edit this landscape, the province must give permission. That can be a difficult and also long process. The landscape has ecological and cultural-historical value, which would make the chance of a green light very small.
Plan B
Now that moving is not an option for the football club, they are forced to tackle the outdated accommodations. According to Johan van den Brink, there are consequences. “That will cost us a lot of money. Renovating the changing rooms, stands and the canteen will cost about 1.3 million euros. Building a new building will cost about 4.4 million euros.” That’s a huge amount of money, and the club doesn’t have that at the moment. “As a football club, we have to get it from our own piggy bank. We have saved, but we do not have millions in cash. The municipality will not contribute anything, and that is of course difficult.”
RKVV gets its income from three sources: membership fees, income from the turnover of the canteen and sponsors. Johan is now thinking of another option for the future of his club. “It may well be that we build a completely new building there, with a fourth pillar: another company in the building.” For example, he would like it if the club building is adjacent to, for example, a physiotherapist’s practice or an after-school care center.