Active Towns and Houten

Active Towns and Houten

So Houten is now an Active Town…officially! Well, of course it’s always been active, but here’s a podcast I filmed with Active Towns creator John Simmerman in March 2023. John creates content supporting the development of urban spaces for people, not machines. He speaks to 

Exciting Cycling Recommendations

Exciting Cycling Recommendations

It’s 2022 and we’ve had 3 years of Covid Pandemic (and counting), political wrangling of an historically defining nature and strains on essential resources the world over. In short, there are changes afoot. And in the face of Climate Change, this is just the beginning. 

Houten Ruimtelijke Koers 2040

Houten Ruimtelijke Koers 2040

The Netherlands is in the midst of a housing shortage and looking to build upwards of a 100.000 new homes across the country. Houten has agreed to absorb 5000 of those. We are a world-renowned village-style cycling-town of 50,000 citizens (10 mins train ride from 

Stick it in the Bin!

Stick it in the Bin!

We have too many disposable face masks littering our environment. That’s ridiculous!   Stick It In The Bin! Kylie van Dam 2020 It’s on your face Or it’s in your hand. It’s in your pocket, Or it’s in your bag. If it’s cloth, it’s in 

Hello Hello Houten!

Hello Hello Houten!

In June 2019 Houten held a Cycling Festival and I was lucky enough to help promote that on our local radio station (which indeed…is a little like taking coals to Newcastle). My job was to talk about our journey to Houten as well as pick 

Houten in Germany for the afternoon

Houten in Germany for the afternoon

So, we made it! In February the van Dams were lucky enough to take part in Traffic Without Chaos, this fantastic project by Insa Onken for Plan B, a German documentary program aired weekly on ZDF Along with Robert Derks, who’s brain-child Houten is and 

The Aussie Bakfiets Mama with SBS Dutch.

The Aussie Bakfiets Mama with SBS Dutch.

Special Broadcasting Services, SBS,  is a federally funded editorially independent media outlet in Australia. Their ‘purpose is to inspire all Australians to explore, appreciate and celebrate our diverse world, and in doing so, contribute to a cohesive society.’ To state that their standard of quality 

Houten Hits the BBC

Houten Hits the BBC

What an exciting afternoon! A few weeks ago a journalist for BBC Radio 4 contacted me through this website. He was planning a trip to Utrecht the next day and had found The Guardian piece during research for an article on cycling. How would I 

NL Cycling Association Magazine

NL Cycling Association Magazine

The Dutch Cycling Association loved the Guardian article too and wanted to have a world for their own magazine. So…a telephone interview and a seriously good photographer later, here it is. https://www.fietsersbond.nl/nieuws/kinderen-kunnen-hier-fietsen-zonder-ouders/   For the none-Dutchies, here’s the best translation I could muster.   Cycling 

Houten: Living the Future Now.

Houten: Living the Future Now.

Yay!!!! Houten’s in The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/may/16/welcome-cycle-heaven-moved-family-netherlands-houten-utrecht But if you fancy a little more depth, here’s the original. Happy reading and if you think all this can’t be true, come visit. Houten awaits!   Before I’m out of bed in the morning, our 15 year old