Changing public space

6.4.1 Policy and structure in Enschede
To combat these problems, the city of Enschede decided to restructure its centre thoroughly and
to transform the city from a dominant industrial city to a dominant retail and residential city. The
transformation was enhanced by the abolition the Schengen agreement of the European Union in
the middle of the 1990s. After the abolition, the border between the Netherlands and Germany
opened up, resulting in increased numbers of German visitors. Enschede also received economic
development subsidies from the Dutch government and the European Union for economic
networking with nearby German cities within the framework of Euregional co-operation
(Yücesoy, 2006). It also obtained subsidies from the European Regional Development Fund
(ERDF) to finance economic and physical improvements in its distressed urban neighbourhoods
(Gemeente Enschede, 2003). Part of the subsidies could be directed to redevelop the city
centre. The local authorities increasingly acknowledged the necessity of redevelopment because
neighbouring cities, especially Hengelo, were already improving their city centres. To be able
to compete with these cities, Enschede needed to redevelop its public space. The main policy
document regarding the city centre redevelopment was the so-called city centre handbook
(Binnenstadsboek), which was published in 1996. This handbook outlined four major fields of
improvement in the city centre of Enschede (Gemeente Enschede, 1996):
1. Redevelopment of the surroundings of the train station
2. Redevelopment of the Van Heekplein by redirecting the Boulevard 1945
3. Redevelopment of the streets and squares in the historic city centre – the so-called Stadserf
(City premises) – including the Oude Markt
4. Redevelopment of the so-called Muziekkwartier (Music quarter)
The local government started by redeveloping the surroundings of the train station in
co-operation with landscape architecture agency OKRA. The redeveloped square was completed
in 1998, but was often perceived as too empty. It was therefore repaved in 2004. The second
project was the redevelopment of the Van Heekplein, which is discussed in more detail in Section
6.4.3. The redevelopment started with rerouting the Boulevard 1945 that previously bisected the
square. As a result, the Van Heekplein could be enlarged and improved. The redevelopment was
stopped for a short period after a large firework explosion that occurred in May 2000, which
destroyed the residential neighbourhood Roombeek located north from the city centre. The
effects of the disaster were immense: 23 people lost their lives, over 950 people were injured and
the material damage was estimated at 454 million euros. Two aldermen – including the one who
was in charge of the redevelopment of the city centre – took political responsibility and resigned.
Construction work at the Van Heekplein temporarily stopped. However, it was soon decided
that the redevelopment of the city centre should be rapidly continued to show the resilience
of Enschede and give its inhabitants something to be proud of. The new Van Heekplein was
reopened in 2003.
To assure that the improvements at the Van Heekplein would not negatively influence other
public spaces, the municipal authorities decided to simultaneously redevelop other parts of the
city centre called the Stadserf (Section 6.4.2). This project, including the redevelopment of the
Oude Markt, was completed in 2004. The fourth and final focus of the city centre handbook,
the construction of the Music Quarter, is still in full swing (Baart & Schaap, 2007). The idea is
to create a concentration of music-related institutes, such as an opera, Podium Twente, Saxion’s
conservatory, and pop podium Atak. The 45 million euro project includes the construction of new
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