2017 - Diaper Park
Park for a laugh & tear
"Almere is a beautiful park richer thanks to Tineke," said alderman Frits Huis, when he opened the Diaper Park in Oostrand Park on Wednesday 29 March 2017 amid great public interest. Initiative taker and founder Tineke Ras is thus realising "a park for a smile and a tear".
After many discussions with the Province and the Forestry Commission, she managed to establish the Het Luierpark foundation, as part of the New Nature programme. In the Diaper Park - near the Guus Gelukstraat in the Striphelden neighbourhood - parents of (un)born or deceased children can have a (commemorative) tree planted. This tree, the Davidia involucrata,or 'handkerchief or nappy tree', gets a wooden nameplate with the child's birth and/or death date and possibly a text the (grand)parents want. There are now 72 trees.
With this park, the founder wants to create a special place for (grand)parents, siblings, to celebrate or commemorate the child's life, amid nature and some wooden play equipment and benches.
Breed has succeeded in a short time in attracting the Province, the municipality as well as residents and businesses to the park.
Bos der Onverzettelijken exists 20 years
Appreciated by Almere residents, the Bos der Onverzettelijken exists for 20 years in 2017. It is 'a living monument' on Vrijheidsdreef in Almere Stad - Oost. On the initiative of Stichting Samenwerkend Verzet 1940-1945, this forest was created between 1992 and 1993. In memory of all Dutch resistance fighters who were shot, more than two thousand trees were planted by hand.
VMCA celebrates 30th anniversary
The Vrijwilligers en Mantelzorg Centrale Almere (VMCA) is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2017. The VMCA is an independent organisation for volunteers and informal carers, based on opportunities and possibilities for this target group and organisations involved. The VMCA promotes social cohesion and participation within Almere society through projects and activities aimed at supporting, strengthening and stimulating.
Tiny Houses exhibition
The Grote Tiny Housing Manifestation in Almere Poort, organised by the Tiny House Nederland foundation in cooperation with the BouwEXPO Tiny Housing and the municipality of Almere, among others, took place at the beginning of October. Interest turns out to be high; throughout the week, there are a total of five thousand visitors for the manifestation where tiny houses take centre stage. At its peak - on Saturday 7 October - as many as three thousand interested people from all over the country and abroad visit the exhibition.
Almere Best Inner City 2017 - 2019
Almere Centrum will be named Best Inner City 2017-2019 at the end of 2017. During the Best Inner City Awards event, Almere and Breda were announced as winners of the Best Inner City Election on Thursday 23 November 2017. After a preselection on data, a bid book, a visitor survey and a jury visit, Almere leaves rival Hoofddorp behind. The jury members judged that 'the centre of Almere managed to surprise the jury positively in many ways.' Almere has developed 'into a vibrant shopping, residential and residential environment thanks to various intensive partnerships'.