Province Noord Holland

Expansion of the recreation area Geestmerambachtstart of the renovation of the Lake

In Geestmerambacht realization of the project has started. Whoever comes to visit the recreation area, has to know that since December 2005 a contractor is executing the work to renovate the embankments of the Lake.

At the entrances project information boards are placed	Location for a view hill

The embankments are being renovated because the water level in the lake was lowered. That was the result of measurements taken in order to stop the decline of the water quality in the future. It was the case that nutrient water came into the Lake from the canal (Noordhollands Kanaal), which increases the chance of trouble with algaes. The possibilty to store water in the Lake (in times of extreme rainfall) will be compensated in another area, called the 'Druppels'. That area is part of the overall project, the expansion of Geesterambacht. To realize this change in the water system the EU helps to finance the project. The costs for executing the overall project are about 17 million euros. The renovation that is now being implemented costs about 1,1 million euros, almost 300.000 euros lower than the forecast.

By lowering the water level it became necessary to renovate the embankments of the Lake. Most of the banks will be shaped as ecological embankments, so that in the future no camp shedding has to be replaced. Where possible the design is adjusted to the expansion of the recreation area in the near future. This is done by creating view relations and paths, including one for horse riders. Paths for cyclists and pedestrians are being separated as much as possible in order to avoid conflicts between different interest groups.

All throughout 2006 execution of work will take place around the lake in Geestmerambacht. In the execution planning is taken account of the visitors, who will use the lake during the summer to swim and recreate. The design, on which the renovation is based, has been discussed with a sounding board. In that sounding board a lot of stakeholders are represented. In regional house tot house papers a large advertisement was published to inform all the inhabitants of the region that the execution has started.