Eygelshoven child center given final approval

Kerkrade City Council approved the construction of the new child center in Eygelshoven on May 31. The plans for this have been worked out in recent months. With IKC Droomhof, the municipality of Kerkrade, together with the MOVARE educational foundation, is building the future of families in Eygelshoven. The IKC will be the home for primary education, child care and care functions for young children between the ages of 0 and 12.

"IKC Droomhof will bring a totally new look to education and Health for children. The new building meets all the standards of our time when it comes to fresh air, energy consumption and sustainability. The neighborhood deserves to have such a beautiful and open child center. By investing in this we help the youth to grow up healthy," says Alderman Jo Schlangen.

Exterior of IKC de Droomhof

Planning
The steps of the construction project are proceeding entirely on schedule. Demolition of the old school building will start in June. Due to the global increase in prices of materials and personnel, the final budget has been higher than expected. After consideration, all parties nevertheless remain united in support of the plan because the current 50-year-old school building has reached the end of its useful life. In its current state, the building cannot provide the modern, sustainable education the children of Eygelshoven deserve. However, the plan did look for further cost savings in and outside the new building. This is done, for example, by choosing cheaper materials wherever possible.

Temporary accommodation for students
For several weeks now, all Veldhof students and the children of the childcare center have been housed in temporary buildings. The elementary school's lower grades, together with the childcare center, have moved to the building of the former De Schatkist elementary school, about a kilometer away. The upper school moved to emergency classrooms in the parking lot next to the scout building on Anselder Avenue.

Environment building project
During the development of IKC Droomhof the surrounding area will be well taken care of. Together with local residents, solutions for traffic around the new child center have been looked at. Also during demolition and construction traffic is carefully considered.