Crèche on campus

The campus may be getting its own crèche, not just for Wageningen UR staff but also for workers at FrieslandCampina. The day care centre would fit into plans for the new Campus Plaza to go up behind Orion by late 2014 / early 2015. Besides the childcare centre, this complex is to house about 400 student units, some short stay accommodation and shops. These will be conveniences stores such as a mini-HEMA, an AH to go or a Starbucks. ‘It is true that we are eager to have this crèche,’ says Project leader Ad van der Have of Facilities and Services. ‘But we are not going to run it ourselves so we are dependent on the tender.’ Van der Have expects to have completed this process by the summer. He is already optimistic. The chances of the crèche being set up are ‘very strong’. The campus, so close to many people’s workplaces, is a ‘perfect location’ for a crèche. Van der Have has already talked to several interested companies. ‘Fantastic’, is the verdict of Ellis Hoffland, professor of Soil Fertility and co-author of an action plan on gender balance. ‘This sends out the signal that the university wants to help men and women in combining work with parenting.’ In her own action plan, Hoffland appealed to Wageningen UR to investigate whether there was a need for a crèche. In Wageningen town there have long been fears of the campus developing at the cost of the city centre. According to Van der Have, that feeling has now largely disappeared. An agreement was signed last autumn between Wageningen UR and retailers’ organizations WOC and SOW. They now support the development of Campus Plaza in exchange for a promise to ‘look into the possibilities for Wageningen entrepreneurs’.