In the former office building of Structon in Scharwoude, the last dots are being put on the i to give the upcoming 150 Ukrainian refugees a warm welcome in the municipality of Koggenland. Mayor Monique Bonsen was very impressed by the progress made. “This is really much more than just a bed and a roof. People have created a home here.”
About 150 refugees are expected to be accommodated in the former office building – NH Nieuws
Next week, the first 40 refugees are expected in the former office building. The rooms are neatly laid out and the Ukrainians can even count on a ping-pong table and an organized canteen. “It has almost become a hotel”, mayor Bonsen laughs. It seemed unwise to the municipality of Koggenland to immediately fill the maximum capacity of the property with Ukrainians, she says.
“These people come from war zones, of course. It is important that we give them space to land and that is why we have decided to divide the flow of refugees into three phases.” This means that approximately 40 refugees will be housed in the building per phase.
“It’s a bit of ‘what a small village can be big in’. That’s what goes through my head all the time”
Bonsen is therefore proud of the volunteers, the owner of the building and the municipality. For two weeks they worked hard together to have the reception ready on time. “It’s a bit of ‘what a small village can be great at'”, she says. “That’s what constantly goes through my mind and of course my heart warmed greatly from these actions.”
The refugees can count on a point of contact at the desk, which also has a handy A4 sheet with photos of objects and the corresponding Ukrainian-Dutch translation. “It seems like simple things,” continues Bonsen. “But it can be concluded from this that almost every detail has been thought through.”
Neighbor looks out for upcoming refugee center
The arrival of the refugees does not seem to be a problem for anyone, but does this also apply to the neighbor who lives right opposite the building? “I think it’s a very good thing,” says Scharwouder Gert Elzinga, who hospitably opens his front door to WEFF/NH Nieuws.
“Actually, we have been very positively involved in this whole story from the start. That’s because you feel something about it. You see all those images on television and you think: ‘Damn, those people need to be helped’.”
De Scharwouder not only thinks something of it, but is working with a foundation to provide the future refugees with bicycles, so that they can explore the region in the future.
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