by Bart van der Linden
While the city is still shaking from three fantastic evenings about The Story of Vlaardingen, the council presented the multi-year budget for 2024-2027 last week. Big headline on the front page of this newspaper last week: College is rolling up its sleeves. It almost suggests as if they haven’t done that in recent years. Or is that too negative again? The fact is that there is a thick book of 243 pages full of plans and ambitions to give Vlaardingen a boost.
The danger with so many pages is that you quickly get bogged down in a mess of information, where the question remains what can be achieved. Councilor Bart Bikkers can say that we are ‘going into third gear’, but I think it makes sense to start with first gear. Because don’t forget that Vlaardingen was still on oxygen a few years ago. A critically ill patient who was under supervision, which meant that nothing was possible financially.
And now look, the money is sloshing against the skirting boards. It is not to be hoped that Vlaardingen will follow ‘The Hague’, because during the General Political Considerations quite a few plans were made to spend a few billion on carpentry. Now there is of course still plenty of work to be done in Vlaardingen, but not like that. It is hoped that the council can gather the right tools to build a solid foundation for the future.
“Vlaardingen residents must be able to be proud of their city again,” said councilor Bikkers during the presentation of the plans. And that requires many millions every year. Investing will be the magic word in the coming years. In a new city center, a new Westwijk and a new River Zone, but also in a green and liveable Vlaardingen.
We as good citizens can take the plunge again. After all, if you want to be beautiful, you have to suffer! Vlaardingen is certainly beautiful when you see the events and initiatives that are devised and implemented every year, but there is still a world to be won in many areas.
As already outlined in the article, the River Zone and the City Center are priorities number one and two. The River Zone in particular must become the eye-catcher of the city. Including the Museum Quarter, District U, the Station area and Eiland van Speyk, against the backdrop of Midden-Delfland, the Zuidbuurt and the Broekpolder. A mix of greenery, living, catering and sports facilities.
Vlaardingen Do it! does not only apply to all those creative Vlaardingen residents, but certainly also to the college. We have proven that we can throw a party, now it is up to politicians to throw a party too.