Verkeerspark Assen - Assen - the Netherlands - Defunct Amusement Parks on Waymarking.com

The foundation for the Assen traffic park was laid in 1956, by police detective Klaas Bos. He saw in the German city of Essen how children in a schoolyard with a few pinstripes and cardboard signs were made familiar with the, at that time rapidly growing, traffic. Back in Assen, it didn't take him much trouble to get the then mayor and entrepeneurs of Assen to warm up to a similar idea. This resulted in the establishment of a foundation, which thanks to donations
could get started.
In 1957 there was a Jeugdverkeerspark on a square in the city center; de Gouverneurstuin. Roads, road signs and pedal cars ensured that the playing children were shown the way in traffic. Over the years, the Jeugdverkeerspark was expanded with a control tower and scooters and the location in the city center became too small. After being established in Asserbos, moved the park to De Haar in 1988. A new park was realized on a piece of land of 8 hectares. The Jeugdverkeerspark was renamed Verkeerspark Assen.
In the park, children could get their own driver's license and drive pedal cars, a jeep, helicopters and boats. There was a junior kart track, a monorail and a train. The train was taken over by the OVCN in 2016.
For the pedal cars there was a course of more than a kilometer long.
There was also an ambulance and an ANWB car where the children were allowed to drive themselves. At the control tower, everyone was monitored, and possibly pointed out his / her mistakes. In 2005, the park was voted the most popular school trip destination in Groningen and Drenthe. In 1992, the park was privatized.

Due to disappointing visitor numbers, the park was no longer open to the public in 2014. The owner tried to sell the park for two years. In the end, the contents were sold. Part of this is used on a campsite in Wijster. There will probably be no other destination for the decomposed park.
From the end of 2019, airsoft is practiced every weekend on the former site.
In May 2016 it was announced that the concept has been sold to the Bikkel group in Hoogeveen. The Bikkel group took over Duinen Zathe in Appelscha as well. At the end of 2016, the traffic park moved to the Duinen Zathe theme park. The stair circuit with control tower was given a prominent place in the park. Later, in 2019, the control tower came back into the hands of the municipality of Assen via by auction.

On Friday, April 14, 2017, the renewed Duinen Zathe opened. The traffic park has been given a new place in the amusement park, which now attracts around 65,000 visitors annually.

On the evening of October 20, 2016, a large fire destroyed the main building (Party Town) of the old Verkeerspark Assen.
In April 2017, another fire broke out in the park. This time a kiosk burned down completely.
On July 24, 2017, there was a fire for the third time. It was the backside of the restaurant this time. The fires were the reason to demolish all the buildings on the site.
For some reason this hasn't been done yet and Copperhead Tactical is allowed to use the remains of the park during the weekends for the Airsoft Gun theme.
(source: Wikipedia Verkeerspark Assen)

Date Park Opened: 01/01/1957 Date Park Closed: 01/01/2014 Address: De Haar 1 Assen, Drenthe the Netherlands 9405 TE Current Use or Function: After several fires in the buildings of the old Verkeerspark, the Municipality of Assen plans to demolish the remains. Until then, Copperhead tactical uses the terrain for Softgun activities every weekend. Is the park still there?: No If not, what is in its place now?: Currently in use by Copperhead Tactical as an Airsoft Center. Part of the colourful buildings of the old park can be seen on the pictures.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   02/26/2022 eilers1 visited it