More and more residents of Overbetuwe are going out to walk, cycle, run, or exercise in the park. Public spaces have thus become one of our most important sports locations. With the new Implementation Agenda for Sportive Interventions in Public Spaces, the municipality is investing in more places where residents can exercise and move close to home. Free and accessible to everyone.
“We want movement to be a natural part of daily life,” says Alderman Hol. “That means that in every village you can find places to work on your health and meet others. Sometimes this involves new facilities, sometimes improving existing places. Together, we make Overbetuwe increasingly movement-friendly.”
What will happen
In the coming period, sports facilities will be installed or improved in several villages. Think of calisthenics spots with fitness equipment, walking routes, running tracks, and a 3x3 basketball court. In some places, these plans have arisen from resident initiatives or village agendas. In other locations, the municipality is still seeking cooperation with residents to further develop ideas.
Examples of new sports locations:
- In Driel, fitness equipment will be installed at Broeksingel, linked to a residents initiative for an experience garden.
- In Heteren, the sports field at Kamperfoeliestraat will be improved and equipped with an artificial grass football field with a running track around it.
- In Elst, work is underway on a 3x3 basketball court at Eshof, initiated by residents and the local basketball club. In cooperation with the running club and the organization of the Overbetuweloop, an Urban Tracks running course is being created.
- In Valburg, a new clogs path is being developed together with residents for walkers and runners.
Other initiatives are planned in Herveld, Oosterhout, Randwijk, Slijk-Ewijk, and Zetten. The municipality is also acquiring a movable outdoor gym that can be temporarily placed in different villages. This allows for research into whether there is a need for a permanent sports location.
Together with residents
The plans have been drawn up in close cooperation with residents, associations, and partners from the local sports network. Existing wishes, initiatives, and possibilities in each village have been considered. With this approach, the municipality aligns with the Local Sports Agreement and the ambitions from the Integral Quality Plan for Public Space: a healthy, inclusive, and active living environment. “The best ideas come from the residents themselves,” says Alderman Hol. “We see that people like to think along about how their village can become more movement-friendly. We gladly use that enthusiasm, also in the implementation phase. Together we ensure places where everyone can participate.”
The implementation agenda runs until 2028. The first new sports locations will already be realized in 2026. The municipality shares progress in the various villages via social media. Want to know more? Send an email to sport@overbetuwe.nl. Together we build a sporty and vital Overbetuwe!
