Park Aqualanda has been built on the former factory site of Cooperative Potato Flour Factory 'Wildervank and Omstreken'. Founded in 1903 in Eexterveenschekanaal, the factory closed in 1954. In 1915, the Netherlands already had 37 potato flour factories, most of which were located in the municipality of Groningen and Drenthe.
Factory
In the peak days, more than 120 workers worked in the factory. Sometimes it did not go completely smoothly. In 1951 there was a huge explosion in the boiler house in which 10 workers were injured. Stricter environmental requirements were put in place (wastewater was directly dumped in the canals at the time). The arrival of exotic cereal products also greatly reduced the production of potato starch.
Closure of factory and first homes built
In 1954, the factory was closed and a new destination remained uncertain. In the 90s plans were made for a recreation park and in the middle of ‘95, the first 70 pyramid houses were built.
