Will Linden be the new Giethoorn on the Maas? A small village on a peninsula in the middle of the Kaaijenbergse Plassen near Cuijk is getting more and more recreation around it. Especially now that the plans for a large new holiday park are becoming more and more concrete. How do living, busy recreation and nature come together and where do they clash? Omroep Brabant reports all week: The Story of Linden.
At the end of May, the plans were presented for what the new holiday park Dommelsvoort will look like. There will be 550 holiday homes and a marina with about 400 berths. The park will be located between the villages of Beers and Linden.
But already there is a lot of tourism and recreation around the village. And the 275 inhabitants notice that. On beautiful sunny days, traffic is jammed with cars and boat trailers of people trying to shove their craft into the water at the lake’s only boat ramp.
Overrun with tourists
The fact that there will now be a holiday park that is just as big as Beers and Linden is causing some unrest. However, according to alderman Jilisen, that does not mean that it will always be very busy. “Half of the cottages are sold as second homes. So I think it will turn out okay.”
Giethoorn
The comparison with the water-rich Giethoorn is tempting. But at the same time it’s a bit lame. Because that village of 2600 inhabitants in Overijssel attracts an estimated one to one and a half million tourists a year, including a large number of Chinese.
Linden and Beers should not expect such numbers. But a smaller influx of visitors can also have consequences for the balance in the villages. Mass tourism as the engine of economic prosperity or as a source of annoyance for residents who feel overrun? It can be close together.
Granulite
What about the tension between tourism, crowds, nature and housing? And there is more going on around the Kraaijenbergse Plassen. There are also concerns about granulite that has been dumped into the water. This is a residual product from the processing of granite that companies must get rid of. Much is still unclear about the harmful environmental effects and health risks posed by granulite.
Report from the village hall
Do you want to share your story with us. Which can. From Monday 17 to Friday 21 July, editors from Omroep Brabant will be in De Burcht village hall at Kerkstraat 44 in Linden. You are welcome there to share your story with us. But you can also email us at [email protected] or call or app on 040-2949492.
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