Diversity
Over the past 60 years, Haarlemmermeer has evolved from a purely agricultural area into a more or less urbanized landscape. But amid all the dynamism, the polder still offers plenty of peace and quiet. The roving eye is treated to the fascinating Schiphol skyline at one moment, only to be drawn by the rustic remnants of the 19th-century polder landscape at the next. A straight strip of country road leads past a traditional Dutch farmhouse to a romantic apple orchard. The former Floriade exhibition grounds are a new jewel in this rich landscape, where shimmering stretches and patches of water remain an ever-present feature. One superb example is the spot where the Spaarne canal leads into the 62-kilometer-long Ringvaart waterway, an aquatic intersection guarded over by De Cruquius, a classic, steam-driven pumping station.
Woods and water
Cycling is a joy along the polder byways of
Haarlemmermeer, where the 100-year-plus Genie Dyke leads to
Haarlem, and then on to the dunes and North Sea beaches. Water
sports enthusiasts have plenty of room to play along the Ringvaart
and around the marinas in the polder’s eastern reaches, near
Rijsenhout. Just south of Haarlemmermeer lies the Kagerplassen lake
district, a magnificent meeting place for aquatic enthusiasts. The
Haarlemmermeerse Bos, a woodland west of Hoofddorp, has for the
past 25 years attracted hikers, joggers, swimmers, horse riders and
anglers from all corners of the region. On summer days, the
lawns surrounding the clear pond are the domain of swimmers and sun
lovers. On the northwest bank is a superb, multifunctional pavilion
that the municipality commissioned in celebration of the
Floriade. This major agricultural exhibition, held in 2002, has
left Haarlemmermeer with an attractive park full of
surprising features, including a 55-meter-high
planespotters’ hill. Bordering on the woodlands of the
Haarlemmermeerse Bos, nestled in among the towns of Hoofddorp,
Cruquius and Vijfhuizen, is the Groene Weelde, a patchwork of
woods, ponds, and broad waterways with natural banks. This popular
walking and cycling area also has plenty to offer for horse riders,
canoeing enthusiasts and anglers. Near the Toolenburg
district of Hoofddorp there is a 35-hectare recreational pond,
which is suitable for swimming and windsurfing. Haarlemmermeer also
boasts a great number of indoor swimming pools, as well as a host
of sports clubs, ranging from soccer and golf to tennis and
baseball.
The future
The municipality is planning to develop new
nature reserves and recreational areas, as well as sports
facilities in the near future. Provincial, municipal and other
authorities have also jointly launched a project called
Haarlemmerméér Groen (Haarlemmer-More Green), with a view to
expanding the options for active recreation
and giving more room to nature. The plan covers
an area of around 1,600 hectares, 1,400 of which lie in
Haarlemmermeer. This is just one of several plans intended to meet
the wishes of adventurers and sports enthusiasts, as well as those
seeking tranquility in natural surroundings. In short, nature and
recreation remain high on the municipal agenda.