“Where Anna Paulowna ends, Kleine Sluis begins,” they say. But really, where does one truly begin and the other end?
Kleine Sluis is more than just a name. It is a place where history and community intertwine. Originally, it was the eastern and northern parts of Anna Paulowna. Nowadays, people know Kleine Sluis as the northern section around the Molenvaart. Together, Kleine Sluis and Anna Paulowna boast about 7300 residents.
Let’s journey back to the 19th century. It was then that a settlement sprouted around the Kleine Sluis. This small lock connected the Hooge Oude Veer and the Lage Oude Veer canals. The area quickly grew. In the 20th century, Anna Paulowna and Kleine Sluis merged. They became almost a single entity. Since then they have grown together.
But Kleine Sluis offers more than just intertwined histories. It is also the location of the Hollands Kroon municipality hall. Also, did you know that the writer Catalijn Claes was born here in 1932?
And let’s not forget SV Kleine Sluis. This sports club formed in 2012. It was the result of a merger between BKC and SVAP ’74. They play at the “SV Kleine Sluis Complex” and the “De Veerbrug” sports hall. SV Kleine Sluis includes handball, jeu de boules, korfball, and field and indoor football.
The standard Saturday football team played in the Vierde Klasse. The Sunday squad achieved promotion to the Tweede Klasse in 2018/19. This shows the active community spirit.
So, as you stand here at Kleine Sluis, consider its story. Think of the waterways that shaped its beginnings. Envision the fields where athletes compete. Remember the writer inspired by this place. Kleine Sluis is a testament to how communities grow and evolve. It shows how different parts merge and create something new.