Interview with Ron Vermeulen and Loes Oenema
“I don’t really want to go away from here”
Ron Vermeulen lives with his girlfriend Loes Oenema in Poorterstraat 37. They moved into this area four years ago when their previous apartment became too small for them.
How long have you been living here? RV: We have been living here for four years. Before that, for 15 years I had an apartment in Woerden. I lived there for a year and a half with my girlfriend. But it got too small, and they had a vacancy here. At the beginning I found it difficult to settle in. But it is nearer to where I work, and we have some nice neighbours. I don’t really want to go away from here. What do you specially like about this house? RV: The size. Otherwise there is nothing special about it. Do you have a favourite spot in the house? RV: No, we like sitting everywhere. Only the kitchen is rather impractical. It’s not good even though the housing society installed it according to our specifications, because the kitchen of the previous tenants didn’t comply with building regulations. But we didn’t plan it very well because we can only sit next to each other at the table and not opposite each other. So now we have planned to have the kitchen relocated to the front of the room in the renovation.
What are you planning to do with the additional room in the attic? RV: We don’t know yet. We first thought that we would use it as our bedroom, but my girlfriend would prefer to sleep on the floor where the toilet is. Are you glad that your house was included in the pilot project? RV: Yes and no. We wouldn’t have had to move out if it had been only a simple renovation. And what do you think of the idea that the houses will be fitted with solar panels and heat pumps? RV: That is all new for us. We don’t know yet how that will turn out. Well, the houses will become active houses and will regulate many things themselves. LO: Oh dear ... and when I get home, will the meal already be ready? RV: I think it is a good project. And for that we are also prepared to move out for a couple of months. Even though my girlfriend will only be moving out with great reluctance.
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