Thetford has had links with Spijkenisse in Holland since 1965.
Spijkenisse is a young town on the island of Voorne-Putten, near to Rotterdam.
Over the past forty years Spijkenisse has grown from a small village to a
medium-sized town, with large, child-friendly housing estates, a high standard
of facilities, a wide range of clubs and societies, various shopping centres,
extensive parks and large industrial estates.
Spijkenisse did not become a town in gradual stages; it was created over a
short space of time. After the Second World War, the village of scarcely 2,700
inhabitants experienced rapid growth as a result of the expansion of Rotterdam's
port into Spijkenisse's 'back yard'. Thousands who found work in the new dock
areas were housed on the huge new estates around the original village. By the
mid-1970s Spijkenisse already had some 30,000 inhabitants. But the ceiling had
not yet been reached. To cope with migration from the large cities, the
government designated a number of places, including Spijkenisse, as urban
development areas. Between 1978 and 1990 the town had to build nearly 15,000
dwellings. It fulfilled this difficult task and also created a wide range of
facilities.
Spijkenisse lies in the heart of an area rich in contrasts. On one side it
borders on bustling Rotterdam, the world's largest port, whilst on the other
side are picturesque little towns, spacious recreational areas and unique
natural landscape, all within cycling distance. The town itself is also
characterised by contrasts. For example, there is the alternation between
metropolitan housing estates and convivial village communities. Even the
location of the tranquil Centrumpark, right next to the island's busiest
transport hub - Spijkenisse Centrum metro station - can be described as a rich
contrast. A stable element in all this dynamism is the constant flow of the Old
Maas, the river on which Spijkenisse lies.
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