Plans for a care hotel on the site of the former amusement park Norg more concrete

A care hotel, possibilities for a Knarrenhof or starter homes, a place for a primary school and space for the UMCG: all this could just come together on the site of the former amusement park De Vluchtheuvel in Norg. The site must be set up as a kind of Brink.

At least that is what Albert Verschuren, director of Warm Hart Zorghuizen, suggests. His company wants to develop a care hotel on the site, with apartments for people who are undergoing or have already had surgery. “Based on the ‘Better in, better out’ principle, we want to ensure that the elderly recover faster and better from surgery,” he says.

A maximum of 120 apartments will be built in the care hotel. “That depends on the demand,” says Verschuren. According to him, there is a great need for ‘switching care’. “Then we are talking about people who come from an operation, but are not yet able to live independently at home. They can then recuperate in the care hotel.”

Verschuren’s company claims to be responsible for 35 percent of the development of the site. The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and Brede Basisschool de Verwondering (currently still in Alteveer, North Drenthe) are also interested.

But in order to arrive at a fully-fledged plan, the initiators first want to ‘go to the Norgers’. “Last year we already wanted to talk to residents and organizations in Norg, to see what can be developed. Partly because the municipality of Noordenveld has indicated that it wants to develop a vision for the area first, that has not happened yet.”

The site must be arranged as a kind of Brink. “Just as Norg is a Brinkdorp, that’s how we want to get going here,” says Verschuren. According to him, the plan with the care hotel can be called unique. “You don’t get this anywhere in the Netherlands.”

Verschuren emphasizes that the site is not only used for care. “That is why we want to talk to the Norgers, to see what wishes there are. Consider, for example, the arrival of a Knarrenhof (homes for the elderly, ed.) or starter homes.”

It remains to be seen when the plans will become concrete. Project developer Kees Poland does not want to make any statements about this yet. “I think there will be more to tell in April or May.”

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