Construction and Removal

By Jenne van Poelgeest

During 2002 the plan was born to create a place of our own, meaning, new courts, but above all: our own clubhouse. We didn't know then what this beautifull thought ment. We lay down a proposal at city hall, because we had outgrown ourselfs. Hans Maatje, our President at that time (and now again), Harm Weggemans and me had the first contacts with ...... and Martin Dries (sportsaffaires). We were told we make a good chance, but where?

It became 2003. After a lot of meetings and visitations of possible sites, we came to the former tennisclub. Goodness gracious what a mess (see picture ). There wasn't any key, but by the looks of it everything was there. Gas, cause there was a bathgeyser. Electric, cause there was a fusebox with 2 groups. Toilets, so also sewer. Water, cause for the toilets and the geyser as well you need water. We didn't hasitate to agree. But oh, how wrong could we be. After we looked inside the next couple of days we have been double crossed. No gas, on the other side of the wall there had stood a gastank. No 2 group fusebox, above the floor a thick cable, but underneath the floor a thin cable. So there was nearly enough power to supply a coffeemaker. The toilets were connected to a private sewer (from a former member of the tennisclub), and may not be used anymore.

That was a pitty, but we had to take it for granted. Optimistic as we were, everything was to realise. We hadn't counted on the youth, they smashed everything during nights and weekends. The toilet bowls were broken and filled with sand, all tiles had been smashed, there wasn't much left. With a little help from the municipality we started anyway. After the holidays in august 2003 we came back on the terrain. The municipality had delivered some hard labour already. Trees were removed, the tenniscourt was removed and the remains of the old canteen were gone. This is going quite good, we thought, but in order of a protest all work had to be stopped. Hearings followed, for the demolition of the trees, the tenniscourt and the canteen. The municipality had everything in order, all purmits were there. But before we could continue, it was several weeks later.

That's how it went in 2003, work, lay down the tools, work, lay down the tools, hearings, more hearings. With the proposal of our clubhouse it was the same, hearing after hearing. And all that because of one lowlife who hasn't anything else to day. In the meantime it became 2004. in oktober of this year the foundation were layed for the concrete floor and in november of that year the clubhouse raise as it is nowadays.

The Removal (by Annemiek Meijsen)

On saturday the 8 in 2005 it was finaly a fact. We moved from the old terrain to the new terrain. we already know the new terrain by heart, but this was official.

Around tree thirty we went to our new quarters, so we had to gather on the old court. We drove by city hall and saw that the marching band "de Bazuin" was preparing. When we came on the old court it shocked me a bit. Everything was gone and the cold made it look kinda sad. no one entered the old clubhouse anymore, although we spent quite some joyfull evenings there.

At 16.00 houres, Yes there they come, "De Bazuin". We were picked up by them, cause they should lead us to our new terrain. (the adrenalin flows trough my body when i think of it again) We follwed the music.... 45 clubmembers, and complete board (with flag) walked through the streets of Schoonebeek. A firm and cold wind made sure the flag kept flying. Around the shoppingmall, the Europaweg, Hankenhofweg all the way to ..... De Kampen. A round of honeur over the fields with "de Bazuin" and we were there. We will stay here for ... years, i love it.

Ofcourse there was an openingsdrink for everybody. After the last tones of "de Bazuin" died, the evening was lead by the activity committee and the board.