Velsen-Noorders are allowed to spend more than one million euros from the asylum ship to improve the ‘drain drain’

That is why part one of the plan is called ‘Samen Cozy in Velsen-Noord’. “That is what we get back from the entrepreneurs and others,” explains Renate Ooms, director of ensemble playing at the municipality of Velsen. “I can’t count how often I hear how important people think it is fun. That it creates togetherness. But they also see to their regret that that fun is getting less and less. Hence the name of the plan.”

Residents can decide for themselves what Samen Cozy in Velsen-Noord will look like. Between June 6 and July 6, anyone can come up with ideas: a neighborhood barbecue, a football tournament, placing chess tables, as long as it ensures that Velsen-Noord becomes more beautiful or better. And after the summer holidays, the same residents can vote for the best ideas and at least four of those ideas will become reality.

A total of half a million euros has been allocated for this. “You can really do a lot with that,” says Jeroen Besseling of Welzijn Velsen. He should know, because he regularly organizes activities in the village.

Lowered sidewalk or neighborhood party

He also knows in which corner Velsen-Noorders could look for their ideas. “A while ago, for example, we took a walk from Buurthuis De Stek with the alderman to point out where people like to go, for example. want a zebra crossing, or a lowered sidewalk for a walker or pram. If older people dare to leave their homes more often, it will make the neighborhood more liveable.”

The intention is that the four or more projects benefit at least three target groups. But for the distribution of these groups, the municipality is guided by the ideas of the inhabitants. The municipality: “For example, children, young people, the elderly, or, for example, athletes, nature lovers, cooking enthusiasts. And so on.”

There is also a tricky side to the project, Besseling sees. “You can only spend the money once, there is a risk involved. But if a lot of people say they want a neighborhood party, then that can really make sense, because then people who would otherwise not see each other will also make contact. That’s why So people really have to come up with a lot of ideas,” he says.

His colleague Maartje de Kaper especially hopes that the Velsen-Noorders whom they do not yet know well at Welzijn Velsen, will also contribute. “There is quite a lot of solidarity among some of the Velsen-Noorders. And we see and know them at Welzijn Velsen as volunteers. It would be nice if this plan now also reaches other people.” It may be an initiative of the municipality, “but we are only too happy to contribute”, says De Kaper.

In a flyer that will soon be sent out, Hans Jaspers, the chairman of the Friends of Velsen-Noord Foundation, calls on his fellow villagers to really come up with ideas: “The chance that your idea will be implemented is now at its greatest. is easy and our village will really become more beautiful.” He himself would like to make the foundation’s bus, which is often used for outings from the village, more sustainable.

Uncles from the municipality do not want to mow the grass under the feet of Velsen-Noorders by throwing up their own ideas. “But I can imagine that, for example a digital information board, an old idea of ​​the Neighborhood Platform, would still get a lot of votes.”

Second game

For those kinds of plans, which are more about the long term than the short term, there is a second money pot of just over 1 million euros. This is specific to ‘resilient and liveable neighbourhoods’. Velsen-Noord has to share that pot with the IJmuidense Zee- en Duinwijk.

Ooms: “Other measures already taken, such as the extra BOA that remains in Velsen-Noord and the money from drug nuisance, come from yet another pot. But we think it is wise to inform the residents of Velsen-Noord about that amount in one message. of one and a half million, because the different plans do not exclude each other, but rather reinforce each other.”