2010 - the new library

The new library opens its doors to the public on 27 March 2010. Especially many residents of Almere will enthusiastically visit the modern building designed by Meyer & Van Schooten Architects on Stadshuisplein. The brand-new library will hold various workshops and lectures for young and old that day. Dutch writer Ronald Giphart will read from his own work that day on the occasion of this official opening.

And on 21 June 2010 - on the first day of summer - energy supplier Nuon opened the Zone Island. The Zone Island consists of 520 solar collectors with a total surface area of 7,000 m2. These collectors capture heat from the sun and heat cold water to a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. 2,700 homes in the adjacent new housing estate Noorderplassen-West are thus heated collectively. By using these sustainable heat sources, the CO2 emissions in Noorderplassen-West are more than 50 percent lower than in districts where houses are heated with gas.

It is also 35 years since the very first Almonds received the key to their (temporary) emergency houses at the Bivouac, in Haven.