Since May 2016 Korein Kinderplein has offered childcare at the Luna site. But since July 26th of this year its playground has been out of commission because it was noticed that tenants in the apartments in Luna were throwing down cigarette butts. “We immediately took measures,” says Martijn Arts, Korein's manager of Marketing & Communication, “such as more frequent inspections and cleaning of the outdoor area and installing a temporary canopy over the outdoor space."

These measures proved insufficient for the children to play safely outdoors. "In close cooperation with the building owner and lessee Camelot we are currently working on a long-term solution. Of course, throughout this period we have kept the parents of children who use the Luna site abreast of the situation, and they will be the first people we inform when these long-term solutions are known,” says Arts. 

Dorine Peters, director of TU/e's Real Estate Management, confirms that cigarette stubs and other household waste is thrown outside by the residents. “That this is completely unacceptable is fully acknowledged by both TU/e and Camelot, and both parties are taking this matter very seriously,” she says. “Camelot is currently using every possible means to make the residents aware of the dangers and risks of their antisocial behavior. They are sending out emails, putting up posters in communal spaces and individual rooms, speaking to passersby in the lobby, and increasing their supervision of the area."

TU/e has likewise increased its supervision, according to Peters, in order to catch the culprits and take measures. “The measures taken have been very effective, but the problem is not fully resolved. As yet, no perpetrators have been found, I regret to say. We are prevented by privacy legislation from installing cameras."

To enable children at Korein daycare to play outdoors safely, low fencing has been placed temporarily on the grass between De Lampendriessen and the River Dommel, creating a space where the children can play. It looks a little bleak here at the moment, but a bench and wooden decking suitable for play will soon be added to the small area of grass.

Another problem

On October 9th Korein also contacted its clients to inform them that two aluminum strips from the facade of Luna had fallen to the ground in strong wind. Peters: “These are approximately a meter long and a few centimeters wide. To establish exactly why this happened, the building owner Camelot has called in an expert. The expert is currently carrying out a full study of the facade."

Camelot has meanwhile built roofs//installed canopies to make access to and from Luna safer (see the photo below). Community café Hubble's terrace is no longer in use. This solution is temporary and will be removed as soon as it is known why the strips came loose. "We expect the results to be available shortly. We don't want these fences to be here for months. I hope this matter will be resolved within a number of weeks,” says the director of Real Estate Management.

Peters: “To create a safe situation for the children at Korein Kinderplein, a permanent canopy will be placed over the outdoor playground and above the ramp leading to the Spar. In order to decide the best form of roofing, a test version was installed last week.” Once the roofing has been installed, the temporary play area will disappear.