Oost Gelre

The municipality of Oost Gelre was created on 1 January 2005 when the former municipalities of Groenlo and Lichtenvoorde were merged. There are 30,000 people living in Oost Gelre. The municipality has two main centres: Groenlo and Lichtenvoorde. In addition to these large towns Oost Gelre contains six more villages: Harreveld, Lievelde, Mariënvelde, Vragender, Zieuwent and Zwolle.

The new municipality

Oost Gelre has a total area of 11,019 hectares, with a relatively large proportion of open countryside. The new municipality is characterised by a strong work ethic and an agricultural character. Groenlo and Lichtenvoorde each offer a wide range of activities within the municipality borders, such as residential areas, employment, tourism and recreation.

There are a large number of public facilities: in the main centres a range of social, cultural and educational establishments are available. A wide variety of social clubs flourish within Oost Gelre. Both the large and smaller towns boast a substantial number of social and sports clubs. The Oost Gelre municipality is centrally located in the middle of the eastern part of the Achterhoek, surrounded by the municipalities of Aalten, Oude IJsselstreek, Bronckhorst, Berkelland and Winterswijk.

A new municipality logo
Coat of Arms
Communication within the municipality
A rich history
Living in Oost Gelre
Working in Oost Gelre

The economic climate in both Groenlo and Lichtenvoorde is developing rapidly. Currently the municipality has around 150 hectares specifically reserved for industrial and business use. The companies and establishments in the Oost Gelre municipality provide work for about 16,000 people. Oost Gelre plays an important role in the economics of the Achterhoek province and will play an even more prominent role in the future.

Therefore existing industrial and business areas are being revamped and new business areas developed, including the regional industrial area De Laarberg in Groenlo, while plans have been made for the realization of an extra business park close to Lichtenvoorde. Companies who want to be located in Oost Gelre have plenty of choice in location, design and size.

Shopping and restaurants
Green policies and maintenance

The restoration of old waterways and preservation of existing green spaces are a top priority in the ‘green’ policies of the Oost Gelre council. Waterways are being connected and returned to their original routes, even those which run through the town. The green policies of Oost Gelre pay careful attention to local environmental conditions, which often arise as a result of a certain type of soil or ground water source.

Wet lands and plateaus are allowed to alternate harmoniously.
The quality of the public green spaces is a top point of attention in the council’s green policies. By way of an example, ground cover plants are used as weed control, virtually eliminating the need for any chemical herbicides to be used. Park maintenance is also done paying careful attention for the environment; for instance Scottish Highland Cattle have been introduced into Wentholt and Beekdal parks to keep the grass short.

Education
Sport
Tourism and recreation
Nature and the countryside
How to get there

Public transport in the Achterhoek
Transport company Syntus provides train and bus services in the Achterhoek. Information about what services are available can be found on www.syntus.nl.

Events
Culture
Museums, monuments