Rouenlaan’s back path is almost impassable.
That’s due to the overgrowth of the adjacent green strip of land. The municipality is supposed to keep that up. The residents have been discussing a solution with the council for years.
Because it’s officially an outdoor area, it is only mowed three times a year. But that isn’t enough, according to some of the residents. Much of the path is difficult to navigate because of the overgrowth.
‘It’s dangerous’
Tineke Lesmeister is the chairperson of the ABNO residents’ association. She wants the issue resolved. “It’s dangerous. Children have to ride their bicycles through the stinging nettles. My husband rides his scooter here every day. That’s almost impossible.”
“Waste is often dumped in the field, too,” Tineke says. According to the Eindhoven Municipality, the green strip is mowed more often than most greenbelts. “This spring, the contractor did visit the site.”
“But it couldn’t be moved because there will things in the way. Unfortunately, the contractor failed to report this to us at the time”. The council plans to make up for the mowing next week.
Not enough
But mowing three times a year isn’t enough, say some residents. The weeds grow too fast. They can’t mow themselves either.
The uneven ground makes it impossible to use a regular lawnmower. There were several discussions with the municipality in 2019. They then agreed that the residents would tend to the area themselves.
That was provided the ground was levelled by the municipality beforehand, and the weeds cut back. This wasn’t done until 2020. However, the ground is still too uneven for the residents to do their own maintenance.
Fire hazard
Lesmeister also thinks it’s dangerous that the path is so overgrown. “If a fire breaks out, you can hardly use it. Or if the grass catches fire, it’ll be right next to the sheds. We also have problems with rats. All those weeds don’t help.”
Some of the people living in the street say they’ve contacted the council and the area manager several times. They’ve also reported the issue several times via the Buitenbeter App.
“The residents must ensure the green area remains free of obstacles (placed by them). They must also report illegal dumping (by others) to us. Then together we’ll ensure the green area gets mowed three times a year according to schedule,” is the Eindhoven Municipality response.
Source: www.studio040.nl
Translated by: Bob
