historical finds during city center redevelopment

ARTICLE

MARKET & CURRENT AFFAIRS

Rosanne de Boer, Monday 30 December 2024

190 sec

borculo gets a makeover

In 2021, the Berkelland municipal council approved the plans by the LEEF! initiative group to give the center of Borculo a makeover, making it more livable and attractive for both residents and tourists. There had been increasing vacancy rates, making the center less appealing. Sallandse Wegenbouw and civil engineering firm Anacon-Infra carried out the work as a construction team. During excavation near the church, they discovered a centuries-old well and ancient graves. At the old harbor, they uncovered a culvert that was reconnected to the Berkel river, allowing fresh flowing water to return to the harbor.

sallandse wegenbouw adds greenery to muraltplein in borculo

'What's special is that residents have been involved from the very beginning,' says Kim Middelkamp, director of impact and development at Sallandse Wegenbouw. There were information and brainstorming sessions where they could contribute their ideas and help shape the plans. 'Herbert te Velthuis was appointed by the municipality of Berkelland as city manager to coordinate the project and maintain communication between all parties involved. He served as the point of contact for the residents.'
Sallandse Wegenbouw handled paving and sewer work, the greening of the Veemarkt, and the redevelopment of Muraltplein and the Oude Haven (Old Harbor). During excavation near the church, the team made some remarkable discoveries. Ancient graves and a centuries-old well were uncovered, giving the project an unexpected historical dimension. These discoveries were carefully examined in collaboration with archaeologists.

the old harbor got a new look with historical information

culvert

Another remarkable discovery was made during the work on the Oude Haven. 'Centuries ago, Borculo was an important trading location, where ships known as "zompen" came and went. Over time, the harbor disappeared, but it has now been restored on the former HEMA site. During the work, an intact culvert was found. This was repaired and reconnected to the Berkel, allowing fresh flowing water into the harbor.
This not only adds to the charm of the town center but also serves a practical function in managing rainwater. When historical finds are made, we follow a set protocol, and archaeologists are allowed to investigate first. This caused some delays to the project. The schedule and order of operations had to be adjusted accordingly,' Middelkamp explains.

sallandse wegenbouw took a photo of the culvert at the exact same spot as in the past

water storage

'It has turned out beautifully. We're proud of the result,' says Middelkamp. The goal was to make the center more attractive for residents and tourists, and according to her, Sallandse Wegenbouw and Anacon-Infra have succeeded.
Passersby can now look into the town's past through a glass panel revealing the old well.
Restoring the old harbor was already part of the original plan before the culvert was discovered. The culvert is only about one and a half to two meters wide, and there was no decision to widen it. Nor is there an access route for boats traveling from the Berkel into the Oude Haven. However, the culvert ensures that fresh flowing water circulates through the old harbor.
'There is now more water storage capacity than before the project began. This was done as climate adaptation is a key priority. The abundant greenery also provides water retention, which is increasingly important. Municipalities often approach us with questions about water storage. Many are now focusing on this. We also see that greenery is becoming increasingly important.'
Sallandse Wegenbouw was founded over thirty years ago, in 1991. The company is based in Haarle, near Nijverdal. Most of its work is within an hour's drive of its headquarters, though occasionally it takes on projects elsewhere in the country. 'For example, we recently installed a retaining wall at the AFC Sports Park in Amsterdam. We're sometimes also asked for projects in Germany.'

the terraces have been greened and planting space has been added

facade gardens

The work to redevelop the center started in March 2022 and was completed in the summer of 2024. The greening of the Veemarkt was also intended to prevent heat stress. Plant and flower containers were installed and trees were planted. The existing greenery no longer met expectations.
Two locations were created where freight traffic can load and unload. Parking spaces at the Veemarkt have been clearly marked. Bicycle stands with e-bike charging points were also installed. At the square near the Joriskerk, the old well can be seen through the glass panel. Sallandse Wegenbouw also replaced the sewer system there.
After completing the square, work continued at the Oude Haven. Among other things, the road to Jimmy's was relocated. Lange Wal was turned into a one-way street. Sallandse Wegenbouw mainly performed paving work there and did not carry out sewer work. The plans for this final part of the project were available for public inspection in the first quarter of 2024.
Residents were also shown the paving plans for the residential streets before anything was finalized. Not only did the municipality have a point of contact; Sallandse Wegenbouw also appointed a contact person for Borculo residents and other stakeholders. This was Sarah Ririhena. Anyone interested could follow developments via the BouwApp and contact Ririhena. Every Wednesday morning between 8:30 and 9:30, residents could visit her to ask questions.
About fifteen households in the residential streets signed up for a facade garden. Facade gardens contribute to the town center's appearance, help prevent heat stress, and green the city.

the old well can be seen near the church through a glass panel

remarkable

According to Middelkamp, problem-solving is one of Sallandse Wegenbouw's strongest qualities, alongside a strong focus on greenery and ecology.
Do residents feel the center has become more attractive? A young Borculo resident who studies in Nijmegen but still lives at home says he is pleasantly surprised by the results. 'Everything was dug up for a long time, but now we have beautiful terraces in the center. The historical finds did cause some delays. But I was amazed by what was discovered. And I'm not the only one—people in Borculo talked about it a lot.'

the veemarkt in borculo has also been greened

This article was previously published on December 30, 2024 on the website of Stad + Groen.

Sallandse Wegenbouw B.V.

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