The municipalities of Alkmaar and Horst aan de Maas (North Limburg) together receive 325 asylum seekers to relieve the pressure on the application center in Ter Apel. From 8 August, 175 asylum seekers will be temporarily accommodated in the Sportpaleis in Alkmaar, and 150 asylum seekers can temporarily stay in Horst aan de Maas from 10 August.
The 25 security regions have agreed to provide 225 extra emergency shelter places until 1 October.
In the North Holland North Safety Region, a reception location in Heiloo has been used since 7 July. That location is available for four weeks. After that, asylum seekers can visit the Sportpaleis in Alkmaar, where a well-known cycling track is located. Fifty asylum seekers are currently also being accommodated in Schagen.
Asylum seekers can stay there between 8 August and 11 September. After that, the location will be needed again for sports activities that are planned.
The Sportpaleis currently serves as a transfer location for Ukrainian refugees and, according to the security region, is therefore suitable as a crisis shelter. “It is good that we can contribute to this harrowing emergency in the short term,” says Alkmaar alderman Joël Voordewind about the crisis emergency shelter. “It’s a simple form of shelter, but it’s better than having to sleep on the floor.”
Horst aan de Maas asks for help from volunteers
The Limburg Horst aan de Maas has room for 150 asylum seekers from 10 August. The municipality announced on Friday that they can go to part of the event site in the Kasteelse Bossen. The location is available through October 19.
On Monday, the layout of the site will start. The shelter will be behind a row of trees, so that the shelter has few consequences for the use of the event site, according to the municipality.
Residents have been informed of the decision. The municipality calls on volunteers to help, for example by making coffee, speaking to people, offering a listening ear and answering questions.
Busy high in Ter Apel for weeks
The 325 reception places in total should relieve the pressure on the application center for asylum seekers in Ter Apel in Groningen. It has been busy there for weeks and people regularly have to sleep outside.
The government promised to come up with solutions, but so far this has yielded little.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that the location in Heiloo was not available. That is incorrect. The location in Heiloo has been in use since July 7, but is available for a maximum of four weeks. After that, the location in Alkmaar will be used.
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