15.08.2017
On September 15th, King Willem-Alexander will inaugurate the new waterway that runs through the city of Assen by taking a boat trip on the Blauwe As. The inauguration will also be marked by the Blauwe As Festival taking place on the same day.
The construction of the Blauwe As started in 2012 to enable pleasure boats to complete a tour around the city of Assen. De Blauwe As consists of a 3 km long waterway for pleasure boats. Six new bridges and two locks were constructed, including De Blauwe Klap bridge and the lock in the Docklands in the city of Assen, both which were designed by ZJA.
By extending the canal from the Havenkade to the Vaart, Assen now becomes an attractive destination in the Meppel-Assen-Groningen waterway. In addition, it is possible to complete a tour around the city of Assen by tourist vessel, canoe or pleasure boat. The route is part of the FlorijnAs program, which is aimed at improving the accessibility of the city of Assen.
The central themes of the Blauwe As Festival are water and music. On Friday the inauguration will be celebrated with an open-air concert on a floating pontoon in the Docklands. The next day visitors can try various water sports and several leisure activities will be organised at the Docklands.
