Village square becomes a lively centre

The future village square between the sports field and schoolyard is to be a new village centre for all generations and offer space for sports, games, green learning and events. Mayor Michael Gerdhenrich explained this to many participants at the ground-breaking ceremony for the village square in Vellern.

The area of more than 3,000 square metres is directly adjacent to the schoolyard of the primary school. The lettering "Vellern" marks the seamless transition into the green space, where a green meeting point with a central village tree (swamp oak) with benches invites people to linger.

An asphalted multifunctional pitch with football goals and basketball hoops will be built on part of the existing cinder pitch. The surrounding paving will serve as a practice track for children's vehicles and bicycles. The western part of the tennis court will remain for petanque, as a car park and as a tent area for the shooting festival. Trees and shrubs will be planted along the edges. Bicycle parking facilities and atmospheric stand lighting round off the new village centre. Drainage is provided by a trench system that gradually channels rainwater underground into the Stichelbach stream.

The construction project is the lead project of the "Village Development Concept" (DIEK), which was adopted by the council in 2018. The residents of the neighbourhood were able to contribute their ideas and wishes at an ideas workshop in November 2023 and were heavily involved in the planning process.

The city of Beckum has received the maximum grant from the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia totalling 250,000 euros for the redesign. The city of Beckum's own contribution is 265,000 euros.

The mayor thanked everyone involved for their commitment, especially the project sponsors. He thanked the schoolchildren in advance for their patience, as a building site brings with it noise and dirt. This did not dampen their anticipation of the extended school playground.

Facts and figures:

• Total costs: 515,000 euros (of which 250,000 euros maximum funding from the federal and state governments): Funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and by funds from the joint task "Improvement of the agricultural structure and coastal protection"
• Planned execution time:
  • First demolition work at the beginning of March 2025
  • 2/3 of the work should be completed for the shooting festival in June
  • Planting work in autumn 2025
• Total area of the future village square: 3,125 square metres
• The measure is part of the "Village Development Concept" (DIEK), which was adopted by the council in 2018.
• The people of Vellern were very actively and creatively involved in the redesign as part of an ideas workshop (November 2023) and an information evening in the village forum (April 2024).
• Political decisions:
  • Draft planning in the urban development committee of 8 May 2024
  • Implementation planning in the Committee for Construction, Environment, Climate Protection, Energy and Public Procurement on 28 November 2024
• Awards:
  • Contract awarded to Verler Gartenbau in January 2025
  • Award of planning services to engineering firm dtp in August 2023