In Mijdrecht, homes will be built on sports fields: ‘We receive a considerable sum of money’

SV Argon chairman Ton Goedemoed has just typed the news item for the website of the football club. “I can read it to you, then you can unpack some yourself.” It comes down to the following: Argon has a lot of overdue maintenance on the complex, but does not have the financial means to fix it up on its own. The municipality needs space for housing. So the club is handing in some fields for housing and is helping the municipality with renovation. “We are not displeased by that, on the contrary.”

“On the one hand, we see a new residential area developing there, with all the new football players that come with it,” says Goedemoed. “In addition, we receive a considerable and interesting sum of money. To renovate our buildings. And that renovation is desperately needed. “It’s old stuff what it says,” says Goedemoed. “Really needs to be replaced.”

Alderman Rein Kroon of De Ronde Venen is also satisfied. Two birds with one stone, a win-win situation. It will all pass. The municipality says that sports associations are taking a hard hit due to the corona crisis. “Associations therefore take a critical look at the fields they rent from the municipality. Are they all necessary if there are fewer members. The costs are reduced by using fewer sports fields. This ensures that the associations have financial space to take on challenges. “

Goedmoed van Argon indeed says that income is declining due to corona and that the costs for renovations are rising due to the same crisis. But he emphasizes that handing in the fields has nothing to do with loss of members. That is not to say that he hopes to boost membership with the arrival of a new housing estate. “In our municipality there is an aging population, there are few potential pupils.” And it would also be nice to give the women’s branch a boost.

The football club initially wanted to get rid of field 7, in a corner of the complex. That was of no use to the municipality, but fields 3, 4 and 5 did. Three squares less, instead of one. Isn’t that too much? “We get one extra back, so on balance we live in one,” says the chairman. In addition, field 7 will have artificial grass and lighting. The fields can therefore be played more often and for longer, the capacity remains guaranteed.

And then that “significant and interesting sum of money” that Argon gets. Goedmoet laughs. “That’s exactly the point I can’t say too much about. But it is a very reasonable start to see what we can redecorate, together with what we have already built up.”