Rotterdam Central District Association as a connector

The Rotterdam Central District Association has been a connector of the Rotterdam Central District for 11 years. Founded thanks to the initiative of the area’s building owners to boost the area development themselves. More than 10 years later, the neighborhood is in good shape and cannot even be compared with its state in the beginning.

Of course it all started with the building owners of the large buildings on Weena, Stationsplein and later also Hofplein. They were interested in building a good infrastructure and an attractive area to settle in. Partly thanks to the Rotterdam Central station, the area's appeal has increased enormously. This makes it clear why large companies such as Rabobank, Procter & Gamble, Arcadis, and Unilever with its second building settled here recently. These companies want to present themselves in the best possible light to attract the best talent. Easy accessibility is part of this, but what else does the district have to offer? Is there a nice place for a dinner or a beer after work? Is it hip enough? Do you meet enough nice and interesting people to expand your network and benefit business? Or can you maybe meet the love of your life.

Then you also have small, medium-sized companies (SMEs), start-ups and freelancers. Which may have or have not gathered in buildings such as the Groot Handelsgebouw - in Kleinhandel - and the Schiekadeblok. For these the rent price must be acceptable. It is also the groups that ensure that the area attracts large parties who need a stream of innovation and creativity that they do not always facilitate themselves. They give the area a unique face and vibe that you don't find in many other cities in the world.

And finally, of course, the catering industry, retail, gyms, childcare and bicycle repairers. An essential part of the living environment in an area. They bring the lively energy, relieve the hard-working professionals by providing small-scale services and keep people in Rotterdam Central District (RCD) for longer. They benefit from interacting with the activities going on around them.

Talk of the Town

But how can you represent all the different interests and ensure that the choices being made for the future of the area are beneficial to the users themselves? The RCD Association acts as a connector between for the various interest groups. They do it by supporting and mobilizing these parties where needed; by stimulating interaction between users. They are at the forefront of organizing events., big and small, online and offline.

You can think of RCD TALK. It discusses the latest Talk of the Town. Interesting developments or events are examined here. Sometimes the talks are exclusively for members, at other times they are widely accessible to anyone interested in collaborating with the Venture Cafe Rotterdam. Examples of topics discussed at the RCD TALK are the 1.5 meter society, transport (sharing) services, the developments around the Schiekadeblok and the arrival of the spectacular Tree House. Where the opportunity arises, we can respond to current events and thus immediately take action in case of a shared problem.

With RCD Q&A we collect questions and answers from all the different parties in the area. Sometimes these are small questions requiring direct action, like a boxing gym looking for an open air space to give trainings during Covid-19. Sometimes bigger questions arise, where we set up working groups and connect stakeholders to discuss an action plan.

Interested in more stories about Rotterdam Central District? Read our magazine online at www.strictrotterdam.com.