July 16, 2024: Report on walk-in meeting flow-through location Beetsterzwaag
About 70 residents attended the first walk-in meeting on the possible transit location for status holders in Beetsterzwaag. The municipality is currently investigating whether the Ikenhiem care location is suitable for temporary housing of status holders. The current residents of the care location will soon move to new construction. The Ikenhiem location would then be demolished. The municipality is now investigating whether they can acquire it and whether it is suitable for temporary housing of status holders. Last July 4, 2024, the first walk-in meeting about this took place and a second meeting will take place in the fall.
So now the municipality is still investigating whether the property is suitable. During the meeting, residents were able to ask questions about this. Below is a summary of them.
Questions about the number of possible residents and composition.
One of the first questions was how many residents it would be if it indeed becomes a transit site for status holders. That answer is between 50 - 100 residents. The actual number depends on what comes out of the municipality's survey.
Houses for young people, singles and other housing seekers.
Several attendees asked the municipality if there will now be rapid construction for young people and singles. The answer is, that the municipality is also going to examine whether we can build fast housing solutions. These are homes that can be built faster than other homes. These homes are then suitable for multiple target groups, such as young people, for example.
A number of questions concerned the carrying capacity of the village of Beetsterzwaag.
The municipality is exploring whether Ikenhiem can become a transit location for status holders. Status holders are people who already have a residence permit. They are entitled to housing and they are also allowed to work. A flow-through location is therefore not a care location. People live there independently and fulfill a role in society, in the municipality. They integrate, work, do volunteer work or are socially involved in some other way. By doing so, they also work on their integration and assimilation. They contribute to the carrying capacity of Beetsterzwaag. Status holders in the municipality of Opsterland are guided by Code Hans and by volunteers.
Care Inclusiveness of Beetsterzwaag.
Beetsterzwaag already has several care locations. So one of the questions was, when is Beetsterzwaag inclusive enough when it comes to care inclusivity? The answer is that a transit location is not a care location and that status holders can also contribute to the carrying capacity of a village. After all, they may work, volunteer or take an education. This allows status holders to assimilate, integrate and contribute socially.
Is the new elementary school big enough?
A Health is also whether the school is large enough. We are currently investigating whether Ikenhiem could be suitable as a flow-through location. So we also don't know now how many people could possibly move in. This also means that we do not know at this time if there will be any elementary school students. We are including all these questions and uncertainties in the research we are currently doing.
Safety
During the meeting, safety was a theme. Sometimes it was about traffic safety, but there are also concerns and questions about safety in general. The municipality is responsible for public order. This is the same for status holders as for current residents of Beetsterzwaag. Status holders are not treated differently in this by the municipality.
Permit, building and location.
There were questions about the permit. That is indeed an issue that the municipality will investigate carefully. There were also some concerns about the current state of Ikenhiem. The question from the audience was whether the building is good enough. That is also an aspect that the municipality is going to investigate. There was also a request to also think about the location in the longer term and whether the dams in the ditch can be removed. Both requests will be looked at by the municipality.
How long is temporary?
If the municipality's research shows that a flow-through site is possible, then it is a temporary site. A key question from attendees was, what then is temporary? A flow-through location is there for a minimum of 3 years.
Residents of a flow-through site.
One question was also whether we as a municipality can choose which status holders we might then want to take in. For example, only families. That is not Sun. We don't do that with other people in our municipality, and we can't do that with any status holders.
How to move forward?
The municipality is continuing with research. We will have an outcome of this in the fall and then a second walk-in meeting will follow.