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Heerlen municipality logo
Heerlen municipality logo

Heerlen accessible

Heerlen accessible to everyone

How wonderful it would be if Heerlen were the most accessible municipality. Under the motto 'everyone for each other', we want to make as many people as possible aware of the accessibility of our city.

Inclusion – the opposite of exclusion

The term inclusion literally means 'to include', so the opposite of 'exclude'. The first thing that comes to mind is people with disabilities, such as those in wheelchairs. But there are many other target groups that we must not forget. They sometimes require adjustments to our services, the way we provide information, or how we design buildings and public spaces. Examples include the elderly, children and young people, and the homeless. But also people who cannot read or have difficulty reading, who cannot cope well with stressful situations or new technologies.

What is inclusion?

Inclusion means that everyone in society is treated fairly. Everyone is allowed to be themselves, everyone is equally important, and everyone can participate. Every resident of Heerlen should feel accepted. At home, at school, at work, on the street, in sports—wherever. Living with a disability should not be a limitation on living the way you want to.

Work to be done

Inclusive policy is an ongoing process that we are constantly improving. The municipality of Heerlen is keen to set a good example. To do so, we need the help of everyone who lives or works in Heerlen.

Do you have an idea or suggestion? Please let us know. Send an email to: iedereenvoorelkaar@heerlen.nl.

Living with a disability in Heerlen

It's that easy...

Onze acties

Wat doet onze gemeente? We brengen vraag en aanbod van geschikte woningen en woonvormen voor mensen met een beperking in kaart. Toetsen de openbare ruimte in de stadsdelen. Medewerkers van de gemeente gaan samen met ervaringsdeskundigen op pad. We brengen de situaties in kaart en bedenken oplossingen om ‘drempels’ in de openbare ruimte te verminderen. Maar ook om bijvoorbeeld rolstoelvriendelijke wandelroutes of toegankelijke culturele activiteiten mogelijk te maken. 

Voorbeelden:

A place for the rainbow community

Centr@l Parq, located at Oranje Nassaustraat 23A, is home to Queer Parkstad, COC Limburg, and youth organization @ease. Central Parq is a meeting place for like-minded people. The long, narrow space is cozy, with various seating areas, tables, and a bar with a few refrigerators for food and drinks. 

An accessible swimming pool

Zwembad Hoensbroek is toegankelijk opgeknapt met bijvoorbeeld mindervalide toiletten en omkleedruimten die groter zijn. Ook hebben ze gelet op de vloerafwerking (anti slip) en het gebruik van kleuren voor de verschillende onderdelen van het zwembad.

Theater performances for the visually impaired

The Parkstad Limburg Theater, in collaboration with the Komt het Zien! Foundation, offers a special theater experience for people who have little or no vision at a number of performances.

Accessible playgrounds

An accessible playground in Welten with play equipment that children with disabilities can also use. And with adapted paths, so that people who use mobility aids can move around the playground more easily. In the coming years, Heerlen wants to make all playgrounds more accessible.

More accessible buildings 

Denk aan BMV Molenberg en Schunck, maar ook gebouwen van kleine ondernemers in de stad. Hier hebben we bijvoorbeeld de stoep aangepast, traptredes beter zichtbaar gemaakt of drukknoppen bij deuren geplaatst. En ook bij nieuwbouwplannen kijken we mee. Zoals bij Kindcentrum Bekkerveld, BMV Heerlerbaan, Buitenschoolse Opvang Mijn Spoor en de Paulusschool.

A High Need app

Students have researched which public toilets are accessible for the municipality. Using the national app'HogeNood', you can find out where to go to the toilet when nature calls. 

Disabled sports

However, it is still not easy for people with disabilities to find suitable sports and exercise facilities nearby. Through Iedereen Kan Sporten Parkstad (Everyone Can Play Sports Parkstad), we want to give disabled sports a better and more prominent place. Check out the website iedereenkansporten.

Adapted workplaces

The municipality encourages the adaptation of workplaces to accommodate disabilities. The Employer Service Point (WSP) actively provides information to employers. The municipality and the UWV provide job coaching for job seekers. The target is to create 150 additional workplaces. More information about this can be found on the Sprinc website .