Dagblad Tubantia, 18 January 1966

It is truly no wonder that the explanatory memorandum accompanying the 1966 budget for the municipality of Aalten begins with the words: We are pleased to inform you… For not only is the budget for ordinary services balanced at an amount of nearly nine million guilders (including f 26,600 for unforeseen expenditures), there is also limited room for the execution of capital works. And that is a sound that not all municipalities can produce.

For those capital works, apart from the sewage treatment plant and sewerage, the primary consideration is to resume the restoration of the streets in the old town center, with priority to be given specifically to the Prinsenstraat.

That is not to say that everything is coming up roses. Due to a shortage of land ready for construction, there is a threat of stagnation in housing development, while it is expected that the upcoming expansion of the treatment plant will place a heavy burden on the population, who will then likely see the sewage charges to be paid approximately doubled.

Expansive and Pluriform

The fact that the budget is balanced is partly due to a more adjusted allowance from the municipal fund regarding the social care component starting in 1966, as a result of which the general allowance from this fund, in addition to the general increase by raising the allowance percentage, could be estimated at around f 160,000 higher.

An amount of f 60,000 is available for interest and depreciation on new capital expenditures for 1966. This amount is too small to enable a smooth completion of many necessary works, while furthermore the “lending ceiling” established by the government acts as a hindrance. To this end, a multi-year plan was drawn up, in which the streets and roads requiring improvement in the coming years were included.

Regarding the acute shortage of building land, the Mayor and Aldermen state that preparations for making land ready for construction have already been made in various places, but that execution must still wait because agreement had not yet been reached with the owners regarding several plots. The acquisition of land through amicable means, according to the memorandum, is clearly becoming a problem in more and more municipalities, forming a serious stumbling block in the attempt to fully realize an “expansive and pluriform construction policy.”

One Each Year

The memorandum further speaks of the sporadic issuance of urgency declarations for the construction of new schools. The Mayor and Aldermen would consider themselves fortunate if one new school could be built each year over a series of years. They do, however, express their satisfaction that with the completion of the gymnasium at the ULO school and the already intensively used hall of the lower agricultural school, it will soon no longer be necessary to use other locations unsuitable for this purpose, once the municipal gymnasium on the Dalweg is also completed.

Satisfaction is further expressed regarding the administrative contact established between Winterswijk, Lichtenvoorde, Groenlo, Eibergen, Neede, and Aalten. Although there is only mention of contact and no formal body was created, this cooperation is also of value within the framework of broader regional bodies.

In Detail

To remain in style, after these more “general considerations” regarding the budget, we would like to proceed to the discussion of specific parts, without, as they say, being exhaustive.

Slaughterhouse: It is expected that, after the extensive renovation, this will be self-supporting due to the intensive use for export slaughtering.

Drinking Water Supply: Around April 1966, approximately 125 properties of the Heurne-IJzerlo plan will be connected to the water supply network. On the work program of the water company, 150 properties are estimated for Aalten in 1966.

Public Housing: Despite the fact that an average of 100 homes per year have been completed in recent years, the housing shortage is not being reduced. The construction of so-called Bogaers houses outside the quota is also hindered by the shortage of land ready for construction.

Ring Road: Specifications for the improvement are ready. It is possible that preparatory work, such as the felling of trees, can still take place this year. The road will be provided with a layer of asphalt over its full width, including the existing cycle path.

Kemena Expansion Plan: Waiting for necessary land purchases. For this, however, the approval of the partial expansion plan must first be awaited.

Paving of Dirt Roads: In 1935, 68.90 kilometers were paved, bringing the total of paved dirt roads from 49.430 km to 56.32 km. The paving of the Boshoeveweg and parts of the Kriegerdijk and Bodendijk is in preparation.

Education

O.L. School Aalten: The possibilities for replacing existing old schools with new ones are so slim that there can be no question of replacing the school for the time being.

R.K. School Aalten: The original plan for the construction of an 8-classroom school has been changed to the construction of two 6-classroom schools. Final applications have not yet been submitted.

Groen van Prinsterer School: An urgency declaration for the construction of three classrooms has been obtained. The possibility of achieving a six-classroom school through industrial construction methods is being investigated.

Allowance per Pupil: This will be significantly increased for 1966, namely for the private G.L.O. f 70.- (f 64) per pupil, for the private ULO f 125.- (f 102), and for the private special L.O. f 135 (f 125) per pupil. The amounts stated in parentheses are those for 1965.

Recreation VVV

The ideal would be a new VVV office in the old building on the Markt, where the Local History Museum is already located. The collection would then be even better presented; perhaps this can be realized in the foreseeable future due to the departure of the current resident.

The establishment of a motel at the intersection of the Bredevoortseweg with the new Hamaland route would be appreciated. This would create an attractive recreation center between Aalten and Bredevoort, with the swimming pool, the municipal estate “‘t Walfort“, the summer cottage area, and the municipal campsite in the immediate vicinity.

Industry: Did not develop to the same extent in 1965 as in previous years. The number of male employees has hardly increased, which may partly be a result of the commute to Germany, which currently amounts to 70 men and 40 women from the municipality.