Kerkstraat Nieuw-Vennep: "Around the corner was farmland, that's where we went kite flying"

Podcast maker Arend de Geus recently visited the Kerkstraat in Nieuw-Vennep to document the history of the street, which has seen significant transformation since its construction in the 1920s. While most of the original character has been replaced by newer residential developments from the 1960s, local families like the Honcoops help preserve the village's past. Their bicycle shop, which has operated for nearly a century, remains a fixture on the street.

Kees Honcoop, who was born on the street and continues to reside there, recalls a time when the Kerkstraat served as the edge of the village. He remembers playing in the nearby farmlands during his youth, a sharp contrast to the current urbanized landscape. Although the rapid growth of Nieuw-Vennep has obscured much of its early architecture, stories from long-time residents like Honcoop keep the area's heritage alive despite the fading physical evidence of the original street.