After the construction holidays, construction of the Victoria park in the centre of Eindhoven will start. On the approximately 13,000 square metres of land area of the so-called Emmasingelkwadrant (Emmasingel quadrant) – between the greenery and some two hundred trees – more than 1,500 homes will be built.
The artwork ‘Gateway to the Future’, a tribute to Gerard Philips that was unveiled last year, will also be placed in the park. The statue is currently located in the Gloeilampplantsoen on Strijp-T. According to alderman Rik Thijs of the municipality of Eindhoven, one of the founders of Philips will soon be looking to the future (Strijp-S), with the place where it all started behind him.
During a walk across the currently vacant lot, Stijn Steenbakkers, the second alderman involved in Victoria park, acknowledges that the patience of local residents has been put to the test. Around 2006, new residents moved to this part of the city with the idea that the park would be renovated in the foreseeable future. “It took about twenty years, but now it’s finally going to happen. Some people moved here specifically because a beautiful park with lots of greenery would be built here. But nobody expected it to take this long.”
Attractive
The Victoria park should be the beating heart of the Emmasingel quadrant from the summer of 2025. This area – at the back of the library – is located between the Willemstraat, the Mathildelaan, the Vonderweg and the Emmasingel. The Lichtplein, which is already used for events, will be made greener and will soon be a lot more attractive for residents, shoppers, tourists and the entrepreneurs who are located on the edge of the park.
After the summer, the construction of 250 homes will start at the Temporary Art Centre (TAC) on the Vonderweg. For a long time, it was uncertain – due to finances – whether this project could continue, but with additional subsidy from the government (1.6 million euros), the construction is now definitive. In addition to realising homes, the studio spaces in TAC are also being renovated.
Victoria Tower
Together with the Victoria tower (start: spring 2025), the Vonderparkkwartier of Bree (start: mid-2025 at the earliest) and the redevelopment of the old head office of Woonbedrijf (mid-2025 at the earliest) there will be more than fifteen hundred new homes. In various price ranges. “We deliberately separated the construction of the Victoria tower and the construction of the park,” says Steenbakkers.
He refers to the earlier deal with the developer that he would not only build the tower, but also construct the park. “We have – with new insights – disconnected that. The agreement is that the developer pays 2.5 million to the municipality and can earn this amount back if he starts building the Victoria tower before a certain time. And as a municipality we are responsible for the design of the public area and the phased construction of the park.”
The Gender
According to Thijs, the greatest feat is bringing the Gender back above ground. This river now flows into the city through sewer pipes of one and a half metres in diameter. The municipality wants to make the Gender visible again in the Victoria park and on the Stationsweg. Thijs: “This is good for the city residents, who already have too little green, for the animals and biodiversity. And the new Gender also buffers the rainwater that sometimes falls in abundance. Furthermore, this can also be a measure against drought.”
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Lila Mehrez
