Welcome to Wassenaar Weekly, your English-language roundup of local news, events and community updates. Here is what happened in Wassenaar this week.
De Paauw town hall illuminated for Coming Out Day
Wassenaar’s historic town hall, Raadhuis De Paauw, was illuminated in rainbow colours on Sunday 11 October to mark Coming Out Day.
Held annually on 11 October, the international awareness day promotes acceptance and visibility for LGBTQ+ people.
The municipality used the rainbow lighting to highlight the importance of diversity, equality and the freedom to be yourself, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Wheelchair tour reveals accessibility problems in Wassenaar
A tour through Wassenaar’s town centre and sports hall De Duinpan has highlighted obstacles faced by people with physical disabilities.
Organised by Stichting Gehandicapten Wassenaar (SGW) during the Dutch National Accessibility Week, the event gave Mayor Leendert de Lange, local councillors and committee members the opportunity to experience getting around in wheelchairs and with walking frames.
Participants encountered uneven pavements, poorly parked bicycles, narrow passages and steep slopes. Some shops were also difficult to enter without assistance.
During a discussion afterwards, participants raised concerns about accessibility at sports hall De Duinpan. Problems included unclear signs to the lift, a malfunctioning automatic door opener and questions about the emergency alarm in the accessible toilet.
Participants suggested appointing a single point of contact within the municipality for reporting accessibility problems. They also called for people with disabilities to be involved earlier in plans for public spaces and buildings.
SGW will compile the findings and recommendations in a report for the municipality.
Katwijk Museum explores German artists’ village
Katwijks Museum is hosting an exhibition about Ahrenshoop, a German coastal village that, like Katwijk, has attracted artists for generations.
Sehnsucht naar Ahrenshoop runs from 17 October 2026 to 24 January 2027 and features around 39 works spanning more than a century of artistic development.
The exhibition traces the village’s emergence as an artists’ colony in the late nineteenth century, beginning with painter Paul Müller-Kaempff, who settled there after discovering its distinctive landscape and coastal light.
Works by artists including Friedrich Wachenhusen, Elisabeth von Eicken, Hans Brass and contemporary painter Christopher Lehmpfuhl illustrate the development from Romanticism and Impressionism to Expressionism and abstract art.
Ahrenshoop is also hosting a related exhibition featuring paintings selected by André Groeneveld, curator at Katwijks Museum.
Adelbert College raises awareness of vaping risks
First- and second-year students at Adelbert College in Wassenaar have received information about the health risks and addictive effects of vaping.
The sessions were part of an activities week that also included a visit to Archeon and a football tournament.
The school wants pupils to understand how vaping can lead to addiction and affect young people’s health and brain development.
Parents are also encouraged to discuss the risks with their children. The school refers families to the Dutch information website VapenJouwKeuze for advice and guidance.
Wassenaar business awards to be presented in November
Local business association Ondernemend Wassenaar will host its annual business event at De Warenar on Tuesday 17 November.
The evening will include the presentation of Wassenaar’s Business Awards of the Year by Alderman Laurens van Doeveren.
The programme also features a presentation by Professor F. van der Kant and a performance by comedian Philip Walkate, focusing on communication, persuasion and networking.
Guests are welcome from 7.15 pm, with the main programme starting at 8.00 pm. A networking reception will follow.
Both members and non-members of Ondernemend Wassenaar are welcome. To register, email secretariaat@ondernemendwassenaar.nl.
Police arrest suspected bicycle thief following residents’ tips
Police have arrested a man suspected of several bicycle thefts following reports from residents and additional patrols in Wassenaar.
Officers received several reports about a man behaving suspiciously in a residential area. CCTV footage supplied by residents helped police identify him. Further footage showed him leaving a stolen cargo bike in the neighbourhood.
Police later encountered the man with a fatbike. Although it had not been reported stolen at the time, officers seized it. Following a social media appeal, the owner came forward and reported the theft.
A few days later, officers spotted the man cycling again and arrested him on suspicion of earlier thefts. The owner of the bicycle he was riding also subsequently reported it stolen.
Police have thanked residents for their reports and encourage people to report suspicious situations promptly.
Stay connected
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See you next week!
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