Annual Report 2022
The year 2022 promised to be a harvest year, and it was.
Our gate as well as our stable doors were once again open. Not just for park and garden visitors, but also for people attending the 14th edition of Amstelland Day; the Open Monuments Day; and the meetings and concerts taking place in our beautiful park hall. After three years of COVID-19 restrictions and renovations, we were once again running at full capacity.
Consequently, the number of volunteers involved increased. And while the number of friends decreased slightly, their contributions increased. The number of visitors remained about the same. The increase in events was offset by the decrease in "regular" park visits. Amstelland residents were again able to travel afar for vacations and foreign visitors had not yet returned.
Wester-Amstel became even more beautiful. The volunteers realised the 'bird forest' with a contribution from the Groenfonds (Green Fund) from the Province of North Holland. The Lissone Foundation installed two 'Jan van der Heijden lanterns' on the rear façade.
Outgoing garden coordinator Els Hulsing was succeed on the board by Clasien Slebos . The foundation ended the year with a positive result. Reserves are earmarked for events and the realisation of the Orangery, among other things. The harvest was good. With thanks again to all of our friends and especially to our volunteers.
The harvest was good. With thanks again to all of our friends and especially to our volunteers.
The full annual report (in Dutch) can be found here.
Developments 2023
We have been making good plans for the coming year. Five months into 2023 and we can confidently say that we are well on our way to achieving them!
One of our main goals, strengthening our PR team, has been realised. You can read all about it in our interview with Monique Lindeboom. The christening of the Wester-Amstel tulip is already the highlight of the year. In the fall we expect to have two projects in the park ready: the redesign of the 'berry garden' into a butterfly- and insect-friendly meadow garden, and the construction of an irrigation channel from the front ditch to the ditch system around the sheep pasture. Both projects are being carried out in close collaboration between our professional landscaper Zeldenrijk and our park group volunteers.
On our activity list, the "Jazz on Sunday Afternoon" concerts, of course, immediately spring to mind. After a successful first season from September through April, we are working on a continuation for the 2023-2024 season. We are making booking digital tickets easier and cheaper and we are improving our 'agenda function' on our website. Our 'evergreens', Amstellanddag and Open Monument Day, are running as per usual.
Our volunteer group of about 35 volunteers is healthy and up-to-strength. We are particularly pleased with the arrival of a garden specialist. We are still looking for some newcomers for both the garden and park groups to make up for the natural turnover. And there is always room for a motivated volunteer in both our concert group and reception group. The latter certainly applies to our "gatekeeper's guild”. These are the men and women who open and close the park to the public on Saturdays and Sundays at closing time. Please send an email to info@wester-amstel.nl or just drop by if you are interested.
Foundation J.Ph.J.F. Lissone, owner of Wester-Amstel, is carrying out several maintenance projects this year. For example, the front and south facade of the house and the gazebo will be painted. The Victorian Tea Pavillion has been repainted from the inside for the first time in thirty years! Unfortunately, this led to unexpected sinking. Foundation repair, which was not anticipated for another decade, was required and done with urgency. Last winter season, safety pruning work was carried out in the park and new trees were planted. A feasibility study for a new orangery will be completed this year.
Reception of volunteers Calorama
On Saturday, 13 May, we received a delegation of volunteers from Buitenplaats Calorama from Noordwijk. This was a return visit, as we were their guests last year.
The group had announced that they would be 'carpooling'. They did so with panache. The collection of old-timers and other fortunate mobiles belonging to Calorama were used appropriately. The sun-drenched spring weather completed the festive mood.
'Peeping in on the neighbours' is not only fun, it also yields useful things. Secretary Marnix Ruys offered our volunteers an exceptionally ingenious 'Caloroma' hoe by way of thanks. Plans were also forged for the exchange of stinze plants. Our neighbours looked on with some envy at the available Amstel water in front of our door. The realisation of the sustainable water state on our estates turned out to be one of the common interests.
By: Søren Ludvig Movig