The history of the Sloterplas goes back centuries. In 1644, the Slootermeer, a shallow peat lake, was reclaimed with the help of windmills. Over 300 years later the reclaimed land was dug up and once again turned into a lake as part of the 1935 General Expansion Plan for the area. The excavation was necessary to raise the surrounding area so new housing estates like Slotermeer, Geuzenveld, Slotervaart and Osdorp could be built. It also made it possible to create a large park and recreation area in the middle of the new neighbourhoods. The fertile top soil of peat and clay was used to raise the area around the lake. The Sloterplas is a popular body of water, especially on the southeastern side, for sailing, canoeing, fishing and diving.