Amsterdam news roundup | May 2020

A local news roundup for Amsterdam … also shared on Broadcast Amsterdam radio throughout the day.

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Amsterdam’s municipal indoor and outdoor pools are now open again for lap swimming, with special measures to protect against the corona virus. These include De Mirandabad, Zuiderbad, Noorderparkbad, Brediusbad and the Flevoparkbad. Het Parool reports the news, with the addition that you can also swim in the Sloterbad and the Bijlmer Sports Center. And for the time being, the Marnixbad swimming pool will only host scheduled swimming lessons. Swimming pools that are open will require a reservation; and these are for a maximum of 45 minutes in the pool.

Amsterdam is committed to a new city forest, facades full of climbing plants and allotment parks or cemeteries that are visited much more often, says a report by Het Parool. Alderman Laurens Ivens has now outlined the role for nature in the city between now and 2050 in his ‘Groenvisie 2050’. Although he hasn’t yet specified a location for the new forest, he suggests that it could be in the new Haven-Stad district, the north or south side of the IJ, or perhaps towards Schiphol. One of the main principles is for Amsterdammers to have a park within a maximum of ten minutes’ walk, and a ‘landscape park’ (such as the Amsterdamse Bos or similar) within fifteen minutes cycle. He’d also like to see these spaces used more by city residents. However in the short term, Ivens says he hasn’t got the budget for any of his ideas yet, with most of the city’s nature budget committed up until after 2022. ‘Groenvisie 2050’ is available on the geemente website, amsterdam.nl.

NATIONAL NEWS | As NOS reports, Prime Minister Mark Rutte has presented a ‘road map’ containing the gradual phasing out of corona virus measures in the Netherlands. The road map may be amended if the virus starts to take over again. The road map is intended as follows:

• From 11 May | Contact professions such as hairdressers and beauty salons may open again, by appointment, and with 1.5m distancing between customers. Libraries are allowed to open and non-contact sports such as tennis and golf can be played again, with 1.5m distancing.
• From 1 June | Public transport will run again according to the normal timetable however wearing a face mask is compulsory. This must be a non-medical mask, because there is still a shortage of medical grade masks for healthcare workers. Also from 1 June, secondary schools can open again and people can drink together on terraces (only at tables, with social distancing). Restaurants, cafes, theatres, museums and cinemas can also open their doors again from 1 June, however only with reservations, with a maximum of thirty people, and maintaining 1.5 m distancing, including staff.
• From 1 July | Dutch campsites and holiday parks can be fully opened again, including shared shower and toilet facilities. Restaurants, cafes, cinemas and theaters will be allowed to scale up to a maximum of 100 people. However still only by reservation and with sufficient social distancing. Churches, conference centers and crematoriums are also allowed to organise meetings for up to 100 people again and weddings with up to a hundred guests are also allowed.
• From 1 September | All sports will be allowed again, including contact sports such as football and therefore professional football. Saunas, gyms and casinos can open and sex workers can also get back to work.
• The cabinet has not yet taken a decision on when major events, such as festivals and concerts, may be organised again. A decision will be taken on this before 1 September.
• In addition, Minister De Jonge (Public Health) hopes that every person in the Netherlands with symptoms can be tested for the corona virus from 1 June. A person who appears to be infected must be kept at home in quarantine with their entire household for two weeks.

Skatepark Noord has launched a GoFundMe appeal to save it from closure. The Amstedam Noord organisation say they need to raise €25,000 by the end of June. The skatepark remains closed until at least 20 May but it still has costs to cover during this time. They also want to fund renovations to the skatepark, with new obstacles inspired by iconic skate spots from around the world. They are asking for donations (with weekly prize competitions) but they’ve also set up a new webshop for Skatepark Noord merchandise which will contribute to their appeal. 

A judge has now ruled that a tenant of the social housing organisation, Eigen Haard, must leave the accommodation, despite the agreement that there will be no evictions during the corona crisis, after eighty cannabis plants were found in the tenant’s bedroom. As reported by Het Parool, in January the police found the cannabis plants as well as equipment for their cultivation and evidence of illegal electricity use. An addict, he says he initially gave an acquaintance permission to place just five plants in his house. The man’s lawyer appealed to the government’s promise that no evictions should be carried out during the lockdown, but the judge did not agree. The temporary measures do not apply if there is criminal activity or extreme nuisance. The man concerned is seeking help for his addiction with the Jellinek organisation.

(Sources: Het Parool / AT5 / NLtimes.nl / Dutchnews.nl.)

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