Delta Programme Commissioner Peter Glas visits “super sponge” in Spoorzone Zwolle area
Delta Programme Commissioner Peter Glas has visited one of the latest Delta Works in the Zwolle region: the new “super sponge” located in the Spoorzone Zwolle area. Along with Stationsplein square in Zwolle, the new underground bicycle parking facility serves as a giant sponge for the city. A host of smart technologies enable the square and the bicycle park to collect huge downpours, which in the future will occur more frequently as a result of climate change.
Together with the Delta Programme Commissioner, Alderman Ed Anker of the municipality of Zwolle was the first to test out the super sponge. Delta Programme Commissioner Peter Glas: "As far as I am concerned, it has passed the test. The water flowed to the well at full speed and subsequently to all the special water crates underneath the square. That’s what we like to see!"
Smart climate solutions
Zwolle has been designated as a so-called NOVI area [i.e., an area in which the collective governments are addressing taskings aimed at enhancing and climate-proofing the living environment]. As such, the city and its environs will be accommodating more smart climate solutions in the future. "As a NOVI area, the Zwolle region is a pioneer in terms of climate adaptation. It showcases the construction of the new Delta Works. This is manifest here at Stationsplein square, in the bicycle park, and before long on the south side of the railway station," to quote Delta Programme Commissioner Peter Glas.
Alderman Ed Anker: "We are pleased with the new NOVI status, as it offers us the opportunity for even closer collaboration with the national government when it comes to smart climate solutions. After all, factoring in water and climate change is a fundamental consideration in this region. The first residents of Zwolle were already addressing water issues, and new generations still do. From backyard to super well, here in the Zwolle region, everyone is a Delta Worker."