Tijl Hekking

MEER voor ondernemers: een businesscase voor de Randmeren

Imagine a warm summer day in June 2038. There are plenty of people taking part in recreational activities in around the Randmeren. The activity can be explained not only by the warm weather, but also by the fact that the Randmeren have been in the top 10 of the most visited recreational areas, together with areas like de Veluwe, the North Sea Coast and the Frisian Lakes. The Hekking Family visits the Randmeren for a day. The car is parked near Harderwijk and they rent a boat in the harbour. After a trip on the water they sail on to Elburg for lunch in the new regional restaurant. Here they can swap the boat for bicycles to explore the Flevoand coast line. The cycle on, because the bicycle ferry in Zeewolde leaves at four thirty for Harderwijk. Back in Harderwijk, they return the bicycles and eat something by the waterfront. I believe it is possible to realise this.

Entrepreneur as a driving force
On a national level in the (centre of) Netherlands, the Randmeren do not sufficiently profile themselves. This is why the recreational economic potential is insufficiently exploited. A vision of the Randmeren as a whole with the aim to establish a strong identity is lacking. This woud benefit both the public and the private parties. The assignment is to come to a differentiated economic, recreational urban development of the landscape, with local entrepreneurs as driving force.

Focal Points as solution
My goal is to reestablish water as economic support of the area. What used to be the fishery is now water sports and recreation. To boost water sports and recreation, investments are needed of both public and market parties. The question remains who will invest and when. To break out of that I created ‘Focal Points’. Within these Focal Points the entrepreneur is given the freedom to quickly play into the ever changing demand from the recreational user and to ensure an attractive entrepreneurial climate. The entrepreneur focuses on water sports and recreation and related functions to boost the identity of the Randmeren as a water sports and recreational area. The Focal Points are located within the existing recreation network or in favourable locations. This connects land and water routes and strategically expands and enhances the Focal Points with a new programme.

Starting the future now
The ‘every-man-for-himself-mentality’ must be broken. This goes for both the municipalities and the entrepreneurs. Cooperation is of vital importance, important for recreational activities on offer, but also to achieve cohesion in spatial development. The recreational user becomes more and more empowered and demanding. They have high expectations of experience and supply. Entrepreneurs and municipaities can offer this together. The Randmeren is a differentiated area with many different entrepreneurs, towns, history and nature. I believe that small interventions and making focal points at strategic points, a recreational area will arise which will feature in the top 10 of Dutch recreational destinations. This does not ony benefit the local entrepreneurs, but the entire region. The art is to start small, which every entrepreneur can do. The right programme in the right place and cooperation with other entrepreneurs. Together we will build a greater whole.

Commission members: Boris Hocks (mentor), Ellen Marcusse, Matthijs Willemsen. Additional members for the examination: Huub Juurlink, Marco Broekman.