Park Stakenkamp

The principal is ambitious: Stakenkamp is to be the first sponsored park in the Netherlands, with an exceptional quality. Strootman has taken up the gauntlet and designed a park with a strong basis in a flowing pattern of paths to link the park with its surroundings and to which diverse special park facilities can be added in the course of time.

Stakenkamp Park has no less than 50 different species of trees, some of which have already grown to become fine specimens. The drawback of this enthusiastic planting is that the park looks gloomy and will eventually turn into a forest. The former Stakenkamp farm in the middle is a fairly closed-looking building and has a limited public function. That farmhouse will be turned into a community centre and expanded with a light and airy catering pavilion as a social magnet. Pruning less valuable trees will create more space for the remaining trees and a light area for a playing field. Special gateways, a merry-go-round, an oversized sandpit, a fenced football area, new attractive benches and movable chairs will become the pearls of the park.

The introduction of a water feature makes the park all the more attractive. In the heart of the park, right in the middle of the main path, a basin-shaped lower stretch of the asphalt path will be situated. It will sometimes be filled with water, resulting in a shallow wet play area with spray fountains and lighting. When there is no water in it, only the path with the concealed nozzles and lights are visible, but do not form obstacles.