You already know about tree huggers and how they can make or break a project, but in this post, instead of trees, keep thinking BAT HUGGERS.
For several years now, even before I arrived at the end of 2009, our city here in the Netherlands has planned renovation of old neighborhoods. Call them eyesores. It so happens one of them is situated on two sides of our beautiful senior-living complex.
As a reminder, this is the front of our beautiful complex, in white, where we live.
At first the renovation project got started and then stopped because of lack of funds. Welcome to the real world, right?! Renters in the apartments were asked to leave, and then suddenly the bat huggers said NO, the buildings could NOT be torn down. So things were put on hold and renters were allowed back. All this since I've been here.
Apparently the city found a solution for the bat huggers because finally renters were asked to leave again and, as of a month ago, the buildings were cordoned off for renovation.
First stage: FREE THE BATS!
One morning a couple weeks ago we heard some pounding across the street behind us.
These guys are almost at eye level from our balcony on the backside of our apartment. In the top middle image you can see our apartment complex on the left, the street between us, and the building being renovated.
That's how close they are to us.
See the bat holes?!
And then on the other street, adjacent to one wall of our complex,
another section of apartments got pounded and punched.
See what I mean about an eyesore?
But how fun to watch these guys at work!
Were they having fun, I wondered?
Did you notice all the brick?
It so happens building with wood in the Netherlands is considered a luxury.
Brick is so much cheaper and readily available.
Speaking of wood, one morning I walked behind the apartments
from the first collage at the top of this post.
I had heard more commotion going on and this time guys were cutting down a tree.
And that's where I saw the most trash.
In the middle image above, you can look through to OUR apartments on the other side of the street.
And for some reason, these bat holes were punched all the way through the wall.
Don't ask me why.
Don't you wish you knew all the ins and outs about such things you've never seen before? For one thing, we both had to ask about the holes in the first place. Supposedly they are escape hatches for the bats! Are you kidding me! There are that many bats living inside the walls of these apartments???
And now we wait for the next stage...when the buildings will be torn down. When that happens, we'll have an open view from our back balcony to the river...until the city has enough funds to build new apartments a few years from now.
Until then, at least the bat huggers are happy! I guess?
ADDENDUM: Astrid Googled and found out the bat has been a protected species in the Netherlands since 1973. For one reason, the mama bat has only one baby per year!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Another Jan van Haasteren puzzle completed:
Motorbike Race (1000 pcs).
