Four local Alblasserwaard firms to start construction at Kinderdijk World Heritage

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Four local Alblasserwaard firms to start construction at Kinderdijk World Heritage

A group of four (main) contractors is about to implement the realisation of the new Visitors Centre and entrance here at Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage. In random order, these are: P. van Leeuwen Contractors from Meerkerk, Gebr. De Koning from Papendrecht, Mourik from Groot-Ammers and Mecron Montage from nearby Gorinchem. As Kinderdijk World Heritage director Cees van der Vlist puts it, “We have been building this area by our joint efforts, and so we intend to share our sense of pride together once construction is completed, too”. He adds, “Although Kinderdijk belongs to the whole world, it also belongs to us as residents of the Alblasserwaard area.”

The start of construction marks the end of a trajectory that was cautiously initiated in 1997, when the Kinderdijk windmill area was officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Even back then it was clear that the current entrance and other limited facilities were completely unfit for this new World Heritage status.

The all new Visitors Centre is set to be the number one landmark of Kinderdijk – well, apart from our famous windmills, of course. It will be built on the current spot of the souvenir shop. The grand opening is scheduled for the first week of September 2019. The new entrance zone, which will include a pair of pedestrian bridges, is set to be completed by March of next year. Investments will amount to a total budget of 9 million euros, over half of which comes from subsidies and loans. A further two million euros will be raised by our sponsors.