How and where do residents connect? As Eindhoven evolves, the municipality is exploring ways to make neighbourhood gatherings more successful. This includes rethinking traditional community centres and experimenting with new options.
The city has unveiled a new initiative to encourage neighbourhood meetings, called ‘Verbinding maken je samen’(Connecting Together). With a budget of €1.1 million over the next two years, the plan aims to create accessible spaces for people to meet.
App Groups
According to Bellemakers, the idea is to foster connections in every sense. “Online meetings are also key. For example, app groups in streets or apartment complexes. For those who find social interaction difficult, it’s easier to ask to borrow something, like a drill, online than to knock on someone’s door. This can be a first step towards building more connections.”
The municipality is also looking at pop-up meeting places and facilitating meetings in public outdoor spaces (squares and parks).
Experiment
‘What works well, should stay that way’, emphasises PvdA alderman Mieke Verhees (districts). The municipality focuses on making optimal use of existing initiatives, customisation per neighbourhood and cooperation with residents, entrepreneurs and social organisations.
The city now has a total of 35 community centres: 18 community centres owned by the municipality with volunteers on the board, 7 community centres owned by the municipality with management by Lumens, 8 community centres owned by third parties with management by a voluntary board and 2 so-called multifunctional accommodations managed by paid staff.
The municipality is experimenting in several places. ‘Take community centre De Boemerang in the Eckart district, where the volunteers struggle to get things going. There, together with Fontys students, we are currently looking at what is needed and fits this location,’ says Angelique Bellemakers, city envoy for neighbourhood-oriented work.
Survey
Opposition party 50PLUS made a round of all Eindhoven community centres and wrote down its findings. ‘Community centres in Eindhoven face numerous challenges. With limited financial reserves, it is sometimes difficult to keep their heads above water. Teams work hard to keep the doors open, but the cost-benefit ratio often remains a stumbling block,’ the survey results read.
Despite the many challenges, many things are also going well. ‘Thanks to the openness and transparency of volunteers, access to community centres is low-threshold, allowing everyone to be themselves.’
The new policy plan will be submitted to the Eindhoven City Council in April. They must approve.
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Chaitali Sengupta
