Leeuwarden
Schilkampen, a small peninsula
Just like in the past, digging by hand
The hamlet of Schilkampen is located in Leeuwarden, in the province of Friesland. It is a historic place that has been connected to water for centuries. The houses in Schilkampen stand in a row between two quays: the Kurkemeer and the last section of Het Vliet.
From the bridge over the water, you have a magnificent view of this picturesque part of the city. Besides the houses along the quay, the hamlet is also characterized by a narrow strip of land and the railway bridge that crosses the area. Schilkampen is a quiet place in Leeuwarden, where history and the connection to water are tangible. A.Hak is carrying out the reconstruction of the energy network, including gas, electricity and water within the SION combination: Vitens and Liander. In every respect, we find ourselves on very special terrain.
Just like in the past, digging by hand
Due to limited space, A.Hak cannot excavate with excavators or cranes in Schilkampen. The excavation work is done by hand and we suction up the soil. Since we cannot access the area after the work is completed, we replace all pipes at once.
Daily life disrupted
During the project, it is essential to consider the daily living habits of residents. Temporary mailboxes are installed for mail delivery and efforts are made to complete the work quickly to minimize inconvenience. The cooperative attitude of residents and stakeholders Liander, Vitens and the municipality has led to efficient project execution.
“There is no through road to the houses and accessibility during the work is really a challenge. At the rear of the houses, we have installed floating pontoons on the canal so that the houses remain accessible.” – Petra Boersma, environmental manager at A.Hak
Residents can text day and night
Petra Boersma, environmental manager at A.Hak, emphasizes the importance of close cooperation with residents in the hamlet. “There are all kinds of factors that make this a very special project. The location in central Leeuwarden, the peninsula and of course the work on a very narrow footpath. This is the only passage for residents to access their homes. It’s precisely under that one footpath that we need to replace the pipes. We got off to a good start with resident meetings and afterwards we found good coordination through a WhatsApp group, among other things.
“We cannot access the area after the work is completed, so we replace all the pipes at once. Everything comes out and everything goes back in new. It’s not every day that we do this by hand.” – Hoeke Hiemstra, foreman at A.Hak
