Piles of beds are waiting in the parking lot in front of the old hotel to be hoisted inside. The beds come from the defense storage facility in Stroe, Twente. “It was a quick action,” says Henkjan Pap on behalf of the Army. “I got a call last night, and they’re already here.”
While the fire brigade is working on the removal lift to get beds and mattresses into the rooms, the washing machines are running tests inside. “It is very impressive to see how much is already being done”, says alderman Raymond Wanders. “There are microwaves, refrigerators and kettles in the rooms. People can just relax here first. Get their lives back on track.”
Volunteers gather in the lobby to roll up their sleeves. “There are many social organizations that help,” says Wanders. The refugees can stay for a number of months in the former Fletcher Hotel. “This is about emergency shelter. People are coming this way. They now need a roof, a bed and bread. Then we will look further.”
kitchen
The spaces in the WMD office are also being made suitable for living in. There is a kitchenette in the building with a refrigerator and microwave, small cooking appliances, toilets and a shower. The municipality of Hoogeveen supplies the beds.
A bus with refugees will probably arrive in Hoogeveen next Monday, otherwise possibly Tuesday morning. The refugees are then taken to the WMD office.
The space will remain available for the refugees until the end of this year. The employees can move to the offices in Assen and Emmen.