Andoorn 1

My experience with the neighbourhood Ommoord Ommoord is a quiet, green neighbourhood in Rotterdam with a pleasant living environment for young and old. The area offers plenty of space, wide avenues and access to beautiful nature areas such as the Ommoordse Veld and the Lage Bergse Bos. This makes it ideal for walking, cycling and relaxing outdoors. What appeals to me is the sense of peace and safety that the neighbourhood exudes. Although there are occasional minor incidents, it generally feels safe and familiar. The community is friendly and easy-going. In some streets you really see neighbours who know each other and take up initiatives together, for example via neighbourhood app groups or community centres. This contributes to a pleasant atmosphere. The neighbourhood is predominantly clean, with regular maintenance of the streets and rubbish collection. However, there are sometimes spots with litter or full bins, especially around shopping areas. Dog poo also remains a point of annoyance in some places. In terms of housing, Ommoord offers a lot of variety: from spacious family homes to apartments and high-rise flats. Some buildings are a bit dated, but there is investment in renovation. For the price and space you get, it is still relatively affordable to live in this neighbourhood. Education is fine: there are several primary schools and childcare options, easily accessible and generally solid. Secondary schools are a bit further away, but are easy to reach. Extra facilities for children, such as homework supervision or cultural activities, would be a nice addition. What really stands out is how green the neighbourhood is. The spacious layout, the many trees and the nearby greenery make it a nice place for nature lovers or families with children. In this, Ommoord really excels compared to other Rotterdam neighbourhoods. What could be better are the amenities. The basics are there – a supermarket, GP and some shops – but the offering is limited and lacks vibrancy. Shopping centres such as Hesseplaats and Binnenhof feel outdated and offer little variety. There is hardly any catering or recreation, which makes the neighbourhood less attractive for those who enjoy going out, culture or sports. Especially young people miss places to meet or be active. More catering, modern sports facilities and lively meeting places would really take Ommoord to the next level.

Ommoord is a very pleasant and quiet neighbourhood to live in. There is a lot of greenery around, such as the Ommoordse Veld and the Kralingse Bos within walking distance. This makes it ideal for walking, cycling or just finding your inner peace. The area also feels safe in the evening. The hygiene of the neighbourhood is usually good: streets are clean and rubbish is collected regularly. In terms of housing, there is a lot of variety, from apartments to single-person homes, and the houses are easily accessible. Public transport is also fantastically organised: with the train you are in the centre of Rotterdam in no time. Moreover, there are plenty of shops, supermarkets, schools and sports clubs in the area, so you don't have to travel very far for amenities.

I've lived here since 1971 and never left. It's always been a quiet, green neighbourhood, although unfortunately it's been getting worse in recent years due to more crime and a change in residents who don't care as much and throw/leave rubbish on the street. Luckily there are neighbours who occasionally clean the streets, and it would be nice if this group expanded and the neighbourhood started to look a bit tidier.

Beautiful green surroundings with park and Ommoordseveld nearby, plenty of nature, on the edge of the city.

My experience: I live in Ommoord and am very satisfied with the neighbourhood. It is a quiet area, yet well located with a centre, bus stop and metro station nearby. There are many elderly people, but everyone knows each other and greets each other with a smile. It is a nice place to live, especially if you love nature, because we are surrounded by trees and shrubs. In the past there were some problems with mice, but that has become much less now. In addition, there are many dog owners, which makes it easy to get in touch with neighbours. There are also schools in the area, such as near Hesseplaats metro station and Ambachtsland. So far I have always felt safe in Ommoord, and people really look out for each other.

My experience with my neighbourhood is both positive and negative. I've lived here myself for 7/8 years and enjoy it; there are many children, but after a while they go play elsewhere. Also, it's a downside that you hear ambulances, fire engines and police from the house with the window open, so even if someone is shouting downstairs you can still hear it quite clearly. We've also had problems with rats in the bushes for years, but on the gallery, in the halls and in front of the flat no problem. It's nice and cosy, especially when you get to know your neighbours; they're always there for you and you can always have a parcel delivered to their home. There are many elderly people since there's a retirement home for us (Laurens wonen). The transport here is perfect and walking to Zevenkamp is no problem. Metro/bus nearby and a large shopping centre with Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Action, Blokker, Bruna etc. Very convenient, so we can also use our cellars, which go quite far back and are quite wide; they are behind iron bars, so without a key you CANNOT get in. Cosy neighbourhood and as far as I'm concerned I'll live here until my day comes. Luckily that's still a long way off, so for now I enjoy living in Ommoord. Regards, Jedaiah Mijnals.