In recent months, when resistance among residents and entrepreneurs in North and South against the arrival of the erotic center became increasingly louder, Halsema did not consider canceling the plan. According to the mayor, it is necessary to relieve the pressure on the Red Light District. The bill for the city now that window operators may have to be bought out? “I don’t know yet. I understand that people want to know,” said Halsema in AT5’s The Conversation with the Mayor.
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It was announced on Monday that the armpit of the A10 near the Rai in South is the mayor’s preferred location. This means that the two other places – one of which is in the North – have been eliminated.
Halsema says about her advice to the council: “There is actually no place in Amsterdam. Housing or social facilities should be built everywhere. We have limited space. It is tight. We started looking for the least bad place given the circumstances. “We arrived at this: it is not a residential area, residents live at a considerable distance. It is also a socially resilient neighborhood and easily accessible by public transport and car.”
Participation
She continues: “The municipal council must now decide whether it considers this location suitable. We will then go through all kinds of steps: there will be a participation process, residents can still advise on a large number of parts of the center. It will then return twice more in the council. We will then be years further before construction starts.”
“We started looking for what is the least bad place given the circumstances”
Femke Halsema, Mayor of Amsterdam
Halsema emphasizes that the reason for the arrival of the erotic center is overtourism in the Red Light District. “Spokespersons for sex workers say that it is part of it, it has always been that way. The old Red Light District, for example, where the queer community was located and prostitution had its own role, many Amsterdammers came, there were bars, it actually no longer exists. It has become an area with a strong monoculture that is internationally known as the Red Light District, attracting hordes of party tourists.”
“The erotic center is very necessary,” Halsema answers when asked whether an advice to the council not to allow the erotic center to go ahead could also have been possible.
Exchange
The mayor does not yet know how many window operators want to voluntarily exchange their windows for places in the erotic center. “I know there is a lot of impatience. It is a careful and gradual process. The location must first be decided by the council. Then we will see if we can do business with market parties. Discussions will then start with sex workers and operators.”
Location Europaboulevard erotic center – AT5
Councilor Sofyan Mbarki (PvdA) is responsible for the city center approach file. “The council speaks with one voice, but the ultimate financial responsibility for a fund lies with the alderman. The council is committed to the willingness to set up a fund to buy properties.”
What might it cost? Halsema: “I don’t know yet. I understand that people want to know. In the first quarter of next year, Marbki will come up with scenarios about setting up the fund. This is not just about sex work, the municipality has been trying to build up buildings for some time. buy to break the monoculture.”
1012
The then councilor Lodewijk Asscher announced the 1012 project almost fifteen years ago with much fanfare. In order to rid the Red Light District of human trafficking and crime. The remedy: buying up properties. The bill: about 100 million euros. Should we think about that again? “No, not yet,” Halsema concludes.
Watch the entire broadcast below in which Halsema also discusses the final conviction of former President of Suriname Desi Bouterse and the increased terrorist threat in the Netherlands.
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2023-12-21 19:00:00
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