After the Ministry of Education and Culture, Helsinki is the largest single supporter of Finnish sports with an annual budget of over one hundred million euros. According to sports director Tarja Loikkanen, there has been a significant change in the city’s policy. Particular efforts are now being made to mobilize the low-mobility.
“No there may be no species that has not communicated the scarcity of facilities. “
In euro terms, Helsinki is Finland’s largest single funder of physical activity after the state. When the support pot of the Ministry of Education and Culture is still 150 million euros this year, Helsinki will reach more than one hundred million euros.
One hundred million euros is a big amount, but it is not enough for everything either, because the other figures for Helsinki’s sports are also large.
Helsinki will soon have a population of 650,000, and through clubs alone, about 100,000 enthusiasts use the Sports Venues every year. The city organizes 1,200 hours of group exercise a week. There are 12,000 berths.
There are ten million visits to the city’s sports services per year. For example, the figure does not include outdoor areas, but places where visitors can be counted.
Helsinki’s sports director Tarja Loikkanen according to the city, it receives feedback, especially on the shortcomings of indoor sports facilities, although there is very little negative feedback in relation to the number of visitors.
“One could interpret that the people of Helsinki are quite satisfied with their sports services. However, the need for indoor sports facilities has long been such that it has not been possible to meet it. ”
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“We’re trying all the time to think of ways to get people moving enough for health.”
Helsinki Sports Director Tarja Loikkanen in Töölö Race Hall. According to Loikkanen, the city receives feedback, especially on the lack of indoor sports facilities.
Additional facilities longing for ball sports, gymnasts, martial arts and ice athletes, among others. According to Loikkanen, the situation is improving. The new facilities are mainly built by companies, clubs and other communities.
The list of completed, under construction or planned sports venues is long. The Olympic Stadium already has new facilities, the Urhea Hall of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Sports Academy will open in Mäkelänrinte in the summer and a new ice rink in Pirkkola will be completed in the autumn.
In the former, the city is involved as an investor. Pirkkola’s new sports hall, Arena Center’s Kaarela floorball and futsal hall, Myllypuro gym and exercise hall and Tapulikaupungi sports park’s sports center will instead be completed with private funds.
Helsinki YMCA plans to build its own center in Pakila. In addition, an ice hockey hall and a training center for skilled and speed skaters in Myllypuro are planned in Oulunkylä.
Such projects are supported by the city by renting the land and granting a loan from the fund established for the construction of sports facilities.
Helsinki Garden has its own chapter, which, when completed, will bring an international-level event arena to the center of the city.
The most obvious shortcoming of the Helsinki sports venue network is the indoor ball arena for 3,000–4,000 spectators. With the Garden project, this may be coming to the premises of the Helsinki Ice Rink with private money.
Clubs are also increasingly responsible for their own circumstances as the city acts as a partner. In addition to the city’s own artificial turf, the fields have been implemented by numerous football clubs. All overpressure halls are also owned by clubs.
“Jätkäsaari Sports Park is starting to be ready. The next artificial ice rink will be in Johannes Park, right in the city center, ”Loikkanen lists the city’s own projects.
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“The use of the school yard will increase tremendously if the sand field and chin-up bar become a versatile place to exercise.”
Leap has a master ‘s degree in physical education and has worked in the city’ s sports services for most of his career. He started as Helsinki’s sports director in 2017.
According to Loikkanen, there has been a clear change in Helsinki’s sports policy over the past couple of decades. Now the city is investing in getting people with little mobility involved, as active people will find services anyway.
“We’re always trying to think of ways to get people to move around healthily enough and to make sense for everyone.”
Loikkanen reminds that exercise plays a key role in promoting holistic well-being.
“Fortunately, it has now been identified and the media has taken note of it.”
It’s about it is not just the job of sports services, as the inculcation of a lifestyle in sports begins in kindergartens and schools. Helsinki is accelerating this by building the yards of kindergartens and schools in such a condition that they would attract children and young people to exercise.
“The use of the school yard will increase tremendously if the sand field and chin-up bar become a versatile place to exercise. That’s when we move in the yard in the evenings. ”
Older people and social and health care clients also need encouragement. And of course the parents of the children need to be made to move.
“According to research, physical activity becomes a lifelong activity if the families of children under school age are physically active,” Loikkanen says.
Helsinki’s goal is to make people move unnoticed. Therefore, attempts are being made to build the urban environment in such a way that cycling and walking would be an attractive option for more and more people instead of using their own car or public transport.
Investments are also being made in local sports venues. Renovation of old outdoor sports venues has been systematic. However, the city has grown at such a rate that not every district has its own sports venue yet.
“When you look at the map, there are hardly any significant gaps left. The city center is challenging in that it is already densely built and has culturally and historically valuable environments. ”
Renew Helsinki builds sports facilities for about ten million euros a year. The money will be used to make sports parks, artificial ice and artificial turf, among other things.
“These are conditions that the private sector will not build.”
Should the city be able to build more, including indoor sports facilities?
“We must always assess whether the popularity of the species will remain the same in the future. Is it a trend of a couple of years or does it last longer and is it worth investing, ”Loikkanen replies.
He points out that with regard to indoor sports facilities, the city’s investments are mainly going to renovations. Many of Helsinki’s sports venues are elderly and the price tags for renovations are in line with it.
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“On behalf of sports, we have a strong hope that the Olympic Stadium will also remain in use for sports culture, not just for events and concerts.”
The Olympic Stadium was completed with a major renovation in the summer of 2020.
Treatable That’s enough in Helsinki. Among other things, the venues for the 1952 Olympics are mainly in use and are intended to continue to serve the people of Helsinki.
The investment program for sports facilities in Helsinki for 2020–2030 totals EUR 180 million, of which Kisahalli’s share is EUR 80 million.
“Already the cultural and historical value of the buildings is important and when used, they remain in good condition and preserved.”
Investments also include the construction of the Pirkkola Ice Rink and the renovation of the Yrjönkatu and Itäkeskus swimming pools.
The most In recent years, the Olympic Stadium has received attention from Helsinki’s sports venues, with a renovation budget exceeding EUR 140 million and eventually costing EUR 337 million. Helsinki and the state paid half of the bill.
In connection with the renovation, three gyms were completed underground. In addition, the stadium has other sports facilities for the use of the townspeople.
Loikkanen reminds that in the heart of Helsinki there is a unique sports center, which in addition to Stadika and Kisahalli includes Töölö football stadium, Uimastadio, Eläintarhankenttä, Jäähalli and in the future also Helsinki Garden.
It is hoped that the large car park next to the Race Hall will also be made more efficient for city residents.
“Parking lots are quite wasteful, especially when this environment is so unique. In connection with the preparation of the town plan, the city can plan how it would be made available for sports use. At the same time, the balance of use of the area in terms of events must be considered. ”
The sports director also has a message for the Olympic Stadium.
“On behalf of sports, we have a strong hope that the Olympic Stadium will also remain in use for sports culture, not just for events and concerts.”
Tarja Loikkanen
■ Helsinki Sports Director since 2017
■ Education: Master of Sports Science, MBA in Management
■ Worked for the Helsinki Sports Department and the City Group since 1990.
■ Hobbies: Seasonal exercise: gymnastics and skiing in winter, cycling and hiking in summer
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source https://pledgetimes.com/helsinki-helsinki-wants-to-blow-up-schoolyards-to-get-kids-moving-a-rusty-chin-up-bar-and-a-gritty-sandy-field-dont-inspire-anyone/
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