Baltimore and Boston will be the new icons in Spijkenisse skyline
Pop-up meeting place De Spot in Het Rond shopping centre in Houten was officially opened last week by executive councillor Rosa Molenaar and Altera director Erwin Wessels. Residents, business owners and visitors can meet one another in De Spot and take part in activities free of charge. There are workspaces, places for discussion, a kids’ club, plenty of seating and a pool table.
De Spot is a joint venture between Altera, De Lichtboog denomination and stakeholders’ association Het Rond. It is located on the street corner where De Raat meets Het Wed and is one of a series of initiatives for retaining the lively character of Het Rond by introducing temporary creative or social concepts. Another concept in the series is Lefft, a vintage shop on Het Wed.
For some time now, Altera has been playing an active role in initiatives designed to boost Het Rond’s profile. The goal is to make it a centre that appeals to everyone, in the short term and the long term. This spring, Altera plans to launch workshop sessions in De Spot, giving residents and business owners a chance to discuss ways of creating a compacter and more attractive shopping centre.
Altera’s marketing manager
Ellen Siebring
explains, “Everyone is welcome at De Spot! We have deliberately opted for an urban vibe with a variety of corners, seating and play areas to attract a wide target audience and offer functional flexibility. We look forward to discovering who De Spot appeals to and how extensively it will be used, so that we can adapt the programmes and opening times accordingly. We will keep everyone up to date on Het Rond’s social media channels.”
PROEF!
PROEF! began as a socially minded pop-up store initiative, the brainchild of Richard Roest and Bram de Korte of NGK De Lichtboog in Houten. It opened at the end of 2021 in the Onderdoor building (formerly home to ING Bank), with the aim of connecting people, enhancing social cohesion and sharing goodness, love and attention. Meet, share and connect is the motto of the people behind PROEF!
Founder
Richard Roest
adds, “We are delighted with our relaunch and the new location in De Spot. Friday evening is for youngsters, on Saturday we offer a variety of activities for everyone, and on Sunday everyone is welcome to come to the Messy Church.”
