A day after it was announced that an emergency shelter for asylum seekers will be built in a former riding school on the university grounds, work has already started. Daniël Wigboldus, college president, thinks it is only natural for the university to help.

‘That goes without saying’, is what chair of the board Daniël Wigboldus says about the university making premises available for the emergency shelter for asylum seekers. A few weeks ago he was approached by mayor Hubert Bruls: whether the former riding school in Park Brakkenstein could be used for people who had fled their country?

‘I discussed it with the rest of the executive board. We quickly agreed. If there is a high need, you help.’

Storage

As registration centre Ter Apel has been unable to cope with the number of asylum seekers arriving at the gates for some time, there is urgency. Safety regions are diligently looking for alternative reception locations on behalf of the government. The municipality of Nijmegen had its eye on the riding school because the building is available immediately, and facilities are already present. Unlike a sports hall – also often a place to quickly accommodate large groups of people – in Brakkenstein no sports clubs need be duped.

‘The former riding school was found suitable. Meanwhile, people are already constructing the emergency location’, Wigboldus said.

‘We don’t know how long these people will stay’

The riding school is located behind the botanical garden in Park Brakkenstein and is currently used as storage space by the Campus & Facilities department. The building is owned by Radboud University. There are stables and a building that includes a riding hall. As soon as possible, the riding school will be fitted out with sleeping quarters for four people.

At the same time, a pavilion will rise on the land next to it where people can also sleep. This is the land along the railway track where, until 2017, a group of urban nomads lived in caravans and trailers. The first asylum seekers should be able to move into Brakkenstein by the end of October. In total, there is room for around 250 people.

End of the year

According to Wigboldus, the university does not interfere in the selection of the people who come to Nijmegen.  ‘The municipality operates the location.’ Until when the stables will offer accommodation is also unknown. The municipality of Nijmegen informs that the premises will be used at least until the end of this year.

‘We don’t need the stables on a specific date,’ said the board chair. ‘The stuff that was stored there, such as rowing boats of the staff association, we are trying to accommodate elsewhere. We are currently thinking about repurposing the building, but we are in no hurry to do so.’

The site is not suitable for long-term residency, says Wigboldus. That has to do with the zoning plan. ‘But this is really about emergency accommodation.’ Other rules apply for that. As international students are also yearning for housing, the college is investigating whether temporary housing might be placed in other corners of the campus.

Education

The municipal sports company and Bindkracht10, a social work organisation, are designated to create activities for the residents. If the municipality asks the university to contribute something to that as well, the board will get to work. ‘We are obviously good at education, think of something like language. When asylum seekers were taken in at Heumensoord twice before, we as an academic community also organised language courses there.’

However, it is now too early to anticipate this, says the chair. ‘Again: this is crisis emergency accommodation. We don’t know how long these people will stay; if all goes well, they will soon move on to asylum seekers’ centres or other places.’

On 23 October, there will be an information meeting for local residents in the afternoon, which the university will also attend.