How do we prepare our canals for the future and ensure safe bridges and quays? The municipality of The Hague will be working on this question in the coming period, together with 16 other parties, including municipalities, knowledge institutions and ministries. Last week, the parties signed the City Deal Timeless Canals.
Alderman Robert Barker of Outdoor Space: ‘The Hague is proud of its historic canals. The waterways are important in the fight against flooding and contribute to biodiversity by providing a place for various plants and animals. By joining the City Deal Timeless Canals, we are pooling knowledge and working together to preserve and future-proof our canals, bridges and quays.’
Working together for liveable and safe inner cities
Many Dutch canals, quays, wharf cellars, bridges and locks are becoming outdated, in poor condition and overloaded. There is also a lack of knowledge about the actual condition and there is a need for more sustainable restoration methods. With the City Deal Timeless Canals, municipalities work together to keep the historical centres of Dutch inner cities liveable and safe. For now and the generations that follow.
The City Deal focuses on knowledge sharing and research to preserve the heritage of the canals in the event of necessary renovation. Attention is also paid to greening quays and making canals more animal-friendly by, for example, installing climbing facilities.
Read more about the City Deal here. (in Dutch)
Origin of our canals
Canals were not only built in the past to drain excess water in the event of sudden water rises. In cities such as The Hague, Utrecht and Leiden, they served as a line of defence. And in the 17th century, canals were used for logistics. Nowadays, cities no longer need to be defended by wide canals and mainly tour boats and leisure boats sail there. The most important function, however, is perhaps more relevant than ever after all these centuries: protecting the city from flooding.
The current partners in the City Deal are: Utrecht, Amsterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Den Bosch, Dordrecht, Delft, AMS Institute, Platform BiKa, CROW, TKI Bouw en Techniek, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, DHM, Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management and Rijkswaterstaat (I&W and RWS), Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (OCW and RCE), Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning (VRO). There is also a sounding board group of municipalities that do not actively participate, but reflect on developments and who the future users will be.
Alderman Robert Barker signs the City Deal Timeless Canals
Featured photo: Group photo of the signatories
The Hague Toussaintkade (photo: Jurriaan Brobbel)