“It really is a small community"

Javier Lim has been living in Holland Park in Diemen with his daughters Sofia and Elisa since December 2021. After divorcing his wife, Javier did not want to put his daughters through another major change. He found a home in Diemen-Zuid, near school and the mother of his children. It was an ideal location for him, so the choice was made quickly.

"The garden is nicely fenced off, so I can let them play outside without worrying."

Javier is very much at home in Holland Park. "Sofia and Elisa really enjoy it here. There are a lot of kids to play with. Our apartment is on the first floor next to an enclosed garden, where they can draw on the pavement with their street chalk, ride their bikes or skate with their friends. The garden is nicely fenced off, so I can let them play outside without worrying. Throughout the summer, I had the French doors open, and they ran in and out while I was working or cooking."

"We all became friends from the start."

Sofia and Elisa also like to play with children from their block in the neighbourhood’s new park. "It really is a small community. You see each other regularly and make contact easily. We discovered that two more single fathers live on the same block with their daughters. We all became friends from the start."

Javier has made a lot of friends in a short time. "We see each other regularly, meet up regularly, babysit each other's kids if we suddenly have to go out for something," Javier says. There are many amenities nearby, but Javier would appreciate some extra shops: "A greengrocer or a butcher, for example. Soon, a sushi bar, a lunchroom and a gym will open their doors. I look forward to the gym because I do a lot of sports: football, running, fitness... If your gym is literally around the corner, there is even less of an excuse not to go."