There is a great need for a village house in the Meerstad residential and water area. Residents want a meeting place, just like in surrounding villages and neighborhoods.
According to Dorpsbelangen Meerstad, it is disappointing that the Groningen growth center still has no indoor accommodation. Shortage of out-of-school care and the lack of a health clinic and sports facilities are also persistent pain points after years of expansion.
Meerstad is one of the residential areas that the municipality is investing heavily in. In 2023, the village grew with more than 500 residents. The intention is for the current number of residents to increase from 3,800 to 7,500 by 2028. “The need for meeting in the neighborhood is only increasing,” says Johan Wilts, board member of Dorpsbelangen Meerstad.
When it comes to facilities, Meerstad turns red on its own neighborhood compass. Wilts compares Meerstad with villages such as Ten Boer, Thesinge, Annen and Garmerwolde. “We also have a place name sign. Actually, we live in a village. You do need something that makes you a village. In four years there will be 1850 houses here. It is a young residential area with 400 teenagers and 1700 children by then.”
Place to ground socially
Dorpsbelangen Meerstad says it has good contact with the municipality. Wilts: “With this letter we reinforce our voice.” It is not the first time that Dorpsbelangen has drawn attention to the lack of facilities. Eighteen months ago, the board wrote: “Residents have no place in Meerstad to meet each other, play sports and socialize. Youth also lack facilities. That leads to problems and boredom.”
The reason for the letter to the municipal council is a municipal memorandum on the maintenance of accommodations such as community and village halls. When developing Meerstad, the municipality thought that residents would make more use of the surrounding facilities. “As a village, we want a location where we can organize activities all year round,” says Wilts.
It is hoped that Bureau Meerstad will reserve land for a village hall. “When Meerstad was built, there was no need for a village hall, but now there is even more of it,” says Wilts. This is evident from two surveys conducted among residents in 2022 and 2023. A multifunctional center in the new Gruno/De Wierden planning area is desperately needed to make the area more attractive, according to Dorpsbelangen.
Use surrounding facilities
When it comes to social and cultural facilities, Dorpsbelangen Meerstad also advocates housing the clinic and support for youth and families in the temporary health center. There is also an idea from students at Hanze University to install a community center bus. The idea has also been put forward to combine social construction in Groenewei and De Zeilen with a community center.
When developing Meerstad, the municipality thought that residents would make more use of the surrounding facilities. When developing new neighborhoods such as Stadshavens and Suikerzijde, the municipality wants to take more into account the wishes of residents to have a joint meeting place in the neighborhood. The initiative for this lies mainly with the residents to take this further.