Alderman Van der Schaaf gives go-ahead for audio tour ‘Ebbingekwartier, Healthy City’
News item, Healthiest Generations
On Monday 14 March, at Oosterhamrikkade, alderman Roeland van der Schaaf gave the go-ahead for the new audio tour ‘Ebbingekwartier, Healthy City’. This is an initiative of the ‘Healthy City’ consortium, consisting of: Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, UMCG, the municipality of Groningen and VanWonen. Both Groningen residents and visitors from outside the city can enjoy the audio tour to discover the stories of Ebbingekwartier: the healthy, green, and vibrant neighbourhood on the edge of Groningen’s city centre. With the development of (almost) the last residential location on Oosterhamrikkade, this new urban neighbourhood is nearing completion.
Alderman Roeland van der Schaaf: “A healthy city is bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly, clean and safe. And has a healthy environment. It’s also a society in which people look out for each other and all this in a well-built environment with a healthy outdoor space. In order to further develop Groningen as a healthy city, we need everyone involved. We all contribute to the whole, each from their own expertise. As experts on their neighbourhood or district, our residents are crucial. This audio tour and the photo competition invites the participants to look at this area with different eyes. And in doing so, we gain new insights and knowledge with which we can improve the quality of life in our municipality. A healthy city is never finished and requires our constant attention and efforts!”
Photo competition healthiest place in Ebbingekwartier
All participants of the audio tour are asked to photograph what they think is the healthiest place in Ebbingekwartier. All photos will be used for further research. At the beginning of July, the most compelling photo will be rewarded with a suitable prize. The photos can be sent to the following e-mail address: gezondestad@org.hanze.nl
Jeannette Nijkamp, professor in Healthy Cities at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen:
“An important question in the research into a healthy living environment is what residents and other users understand by this. This is why we have organised this photo competition, to find out what people who walk the route feel is the healthiest element in the neighbourhood and why. This input can be used by researchers and students for further research. The results will be used for new plans for healthy neighbourhoods in the municipality of Groningen and elsewhere.”
Oosterhamrikkade: starting point of the audio tour
At Oosterhamrikkade, a lively and sustainable residential area with plenty of green space and respect for history will be developed. The green embankments will be great for jogging, or you can soak up the sun or take a dip in the clean water. Here, various types of houses and apartments will be built, both owner-occupied and rental homes. Within walking distance of the cosy city centre and with the green Noorderplantsoen as the residents’ ‘backyard’.
“There is a reason why the starting point of the audio tour is at Oosterhamrikkade. This is where a healthy ecological zone will soon arise. The canal, Oosterhamrikkanaal, already has the cleanest water for swimming in the city. As an area developer, we are creating homes and a living environment for the healthiest generations at this location,” says Miranda Venekamp-Brandt, VanWonen Director of Marketing, Sales & Rental Operations.
Erik Buskens, professor of Health Technology Assessment at the UMCG, adds: “You can try to build a healthy city with bricks and mortar, but without the ‘cement’ of the people who live, work, walk, cycle and play sports there, and who look out for each other, the buildings will remain shaky. Moreover, the greenery, the water, and the animals that also find a place to live there, show whether the project has really succeeded. In short, there is a lot to work on, and of course also a lot to spot and to photograph.”
The audio tour ‘Ebbingekwartier, Healthy City’ will be available on the IZI Travel app as per 14 March. The IZI Travel app can be downloaded from the main app stores.
