How do you use the Groene Loper, Jos?

My first encounter

As chairman of the Heer neighbourhood platform, Jos has been looking at his neighbourhood with a positive and critical eye for years. “We have lived here since 1993. When the tunnelling of the A2 motorway began, my son was living in the Gemeenteflat. We regularly watched the work from his window.” As soon as the contours became clear, Jos made the Groene Loper part of his walk with the dogs. ‘My wife is in a wheelchair and we love to stroll along the central path. The dogs like to sniff around in the grass, so we always walk along the side.’

My choices

Jos prefers to walk quietly on the central path. ‘Except on weekends, when it's often really busy for me. When I get on my bike, I deliberately choose the road. Actually, only since the 30 km/h speed limit was introduced there.’ He cycles in the middle and doesn't let himself be rushed. As a motorist, he had to get used to it. ‘When I go shopping at Lidl in Heugemerveld, I sometimes forgot at first that the whole area is a 30 km zone.’ Now he is completely used to it. ‘I think it's a real improvement.’

What strikes me

‘I notice that walkers sometimes walk from left to right at the weekend without looking up or around. As a cyclist, that often means slaloming. That bothers me. So I choose the road. It's nice that that's easier now.’ But he prefers to go for a walk at a quiet time. ‘I never want to lose the pleasure of strolling,’ he laughs. ‘Just like Benny Neyman sings in his “Ode to Maastricht”: Come with me and stroll. Taste that Burgundian atmosphere.’

My tip

‘Be sure to look around you when you walk along the central path. The vegetation is beautiful and creates lovely shaded areas.’ Jos also has some wishes. ‘Feel free to add more of those “bee mountains”, like the one on Prinsenlaan. I love that kind of wild floral splendour.’ He notices that the benches are a bit weathered. ‘They could use a lick of paint. But you can see that the Groene Loper is being used a lot, and that's a good sign!’

My favourite moment

So no slaloming on a busy Saturday for Jos. ‘During the week, between two and four o'clock. That's when it's nice to be here.’ Sometimes he walks the dogs from north to south, other times he reverses the route. ‘That way, you always have different views. I'm also very happy with the Wittevrouwenpleintje. I like to sit there.’