Peter Bertholet appointed Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau
On Thursday, January 29, Peter Bertholet, former director of the Parkstad Limburg City Region, was appointed Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau. In the presence of his family, former colleagues, and acquaintances, he received a ribbon for his special services to the Parkstad region.
Peter Bertholet worked as director-secretary of the Parkstad Limburg urban region since 2005. From 2009 to 2014, he was also project manager of IBA Parkstad. He has done a great deal to strengthen the region. Peter retired on December 1, 2025.
What has Peter achieved?
Peter has given the region a great deal of pride and self-confidence. He built networks in the region, in The Hague, and in Germany. He turned the Parkstad urban region into a single strong entity.
He made plans for housing in the region (2006-2010). Later came the 'Krimp als Kansvisie' (2009). With this, he prevented a crisis in real estate. The region became an example for the whole of the Netherlands.
IBA: renewal for the region
Peter brought the first IBA (Internationale Bau Ausstellung) from Germany to the region. This project ran from 2013 to 2022. It cost €45 million. As a result, Parkstad became known as a place for new solutions.
This project earned Parkstad and VVV Zuid-Limburg an international award. They were named best tourist destination (2016). A Festival of the Future was also organized (2017). In 2022 and 2023, conferences on prosperity were held in Heerlen.
New attractions were also added: GaiaZOO, the Dutch Mining Museum, and Megaland. As a result, the Parkstad Limburg urban region was ranked among the top three best government organizations in the Netherlands (2017).
Cooperation with Germany
After the IBA, Peter continued to work on establishing contacts with Germany. He carried out various projects to explore cross-border cooperation. He also ensured that the German technical university RWTH opened a location in Heerlen.
Government money
Peter put the region's problems on the agenda in The Hague. He secured €300 million in subsidies.
Parkstad was the only region to receive three Regional Deals. Regions now receive ongoing attention from the government.
In 2022, cooperation in Parkstad Limburg was renewed. More attention was paid to prosperity, social cohesion, health, and quality of life.
A strong region
Peter has done a great deal for the socioeconomic position of the region. Residential areas have been improved and made more sustainable. He realized the Parkstad Outer Ring and Inner Ring.
Living, working, doing business, and recreation have greatly improved. Peter leaves behind a region that has reinvented itself. The region has many opportunities for sustainable development. The national government is more interested in the region than ever before.