Lauttasaari, an island in the western part of Helsinki became a Russian military fortification during the Crimean War from 1853 to 1856 During the time, Finland was part of the Russian Empire, which was engaged in a war with a coalition of powers including the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain, France, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. Fearing that the Royal Navy might attack the city of Helsinki, Russians decided to prop up its defenses by installing gun batteries on several surrounding islands The fortifications remained in use even after Finland gained its independence in 1914 During the Winter War in 1939 and the Continuation War from 1941 to 1945 arming the battery with six anti-aircraft cannons One of the few remaining anti-aircraft guns can be seen on site still today This haunting sculpture was created as a statement on the mechanized warfare of the First World War This magnificently macabre shield shows the power of chivalrous love in medieval times This four-story steel sphere in Maryland was used to test biological weapons the British military used this hilltop fort to train soldiers but the cannonballs embedded in the town church remain This curious Tudor-era castle was once home to Napoleon's greatest adversary Alongside a scenic road are the remains of crumbling World War II gun emplacement This bunker in northern France was built by Nazi German forces with the intention of launching up to 50 V2 rockets at London each day Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker services and collaboration opportunities for researchers the donor community of the University of Helsinki celebrated the end of the academic year by visiting the Kone Foundation in Lauttasaari where the foundation has relocated its operations into a manor built in the Empire style located among ordinary residential buildings in Lauttasaari In 2015 the Kone Foundation purchased the manor and the surrounding grounds from the City of Helsinki layers from previous epochs starting from the time of construction to other renovations carried out in the 20th century were preserved The grounds also encompass the island’s oldest building which houses a café open to all and a residence for artists and researchers The restored English-style formal garden has been embellished with modern artworks produced by artists supported by the foundation – Creating an open and accessible public home with an edge and elegance was an important principle The manor has been restored with consideration given to both its history and the needs of its users,” says Anna Talasniemi As one of Finland’s largest funders of research and the arts the Kone Foundation has in recent years oriented itself towards looking for bold new initiatives traversing boundaries – both in terms of scientific fields and the arts as well as countries The foundation also encourages researchers journalists and activists of various fields to join their forces in the form of projects Grant application rounds with specific themes are used to spur parties in the fields of ecology social sciences and the humanities to collaborate in certain areas was left open to interpretation by applicants Another concern for the Kone Foundation is the future of scientists – Our goal is to improve the respect afforded to scientific research in the 2020s,” says Ilona Herlin member of the boards of the Kone Foundation and the University of Helsinki the foundation’s director of research funding in the future the focus will be on cuts to public funding the status of grant-funded researchers and questions related to membership of the research community The foundation is worried about researchers’ academic careers in terms of earning credit professional identity and finding their own place Photographs from the visit to Lauttasaari Manor can be viewed on the University of Helsinki Facebook page For the world Annually, the Kone Foundation supports researchers of the University of Helsinki (article in Finnish only) by awarding them millions of euros in grants Patrick Jenkins selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter This article is part of the FT’s Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign joint seasonal appeal with Magic Breakfast Since the Financial Times launched its first seasonal appeal nearly 20 years ago a common theme has run through our charitable efforts which aim to tackle more existential threats This festive season, we fused those longtime interests in nutrition and education. The FT’s homegrown charity FLIC (the FT Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign) teamed up with Magic Breakfast for a joint appeal with a twin focus: the crucial difference that proper nutrition can make to young people’s capacity to learn via healthy breakfasts at school; and the crucial difference that learning financial life skills can make to young people’s capacity to go on to live successful lives With the support of FT readers, we aim to raise more than £100,000 to expand Magic Breakfast’s provision of free school breakfasts and accelerate the rollout of FLIC’s programme of financial education for schools. The campaign will run until the end of the month and donations can be made at ft.com/donate Individual and corporate donations alike will be enormously appreciated there are a wide range of deserving causes we can all support — ranging from charities that support those in war zones or alleviate natural disasters to those that provide for the destitute A healthy eating initiative at Hackney’s Mandeville Primary School has been a trend-beating success with deputy head Kaltum Yusuf reporting that kids “just have more energy” Good financial education initiatives have been no less impactful Barely a year after we began rolling out our curriculum FLIC is already present in more than 600 schools across England with moves across the rest of the UK planned for 2025 A grounding in how basic finance works — from the principles of credit cards and buy now pay later loans to the benefits of fixed-rate mortgage deals and tax-incentivised savings — is ever more important as consumers are bombarded with online marketing and scams that often start on the social media platforms Support the Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign’s joint seasonal appeal with Magic Breakfast As Lucy Kellaway, veteran FT journalist turned teacher and FLIC trustee, found in Manchester a FLIC lesson on the financial risks of online gaming left the class she visited rapt and armed with valuable learning “I can’t think of many 50-minute lessons I’ve given in an entire teaching career with such a cut-and-dried result,” she concluded FLIC is keen to see everyday finance taught routinely across the world and made a submission to the UK government’s recent England curriculum review to that effect. As the charity expands its work to adults, including the armed forces and NHS it will also expand its focus beyond the UK This year will see FLIC develop a joint programme with Pratham to roll out a financial literacy initiative there As FLIC and Magic Breakfast pursue their missions to improve lives nutritionally and financially patrick.jenkins@ft.com new substations are increasingly being built in urban areas silence and aesthetic appearance are key considerations ABB’s innovative technologies can shrink the size of an electrical substation by up to 70 percent Accommodating equipment below ground frees valuable space for other uses A typical example of what ABB can achieve is a substation constructed near Helsinki’s city centre for Helen Electricity Network the local electricity distribution company for the region Lauttasaari is the first residential area in the city to have a 110/10.5 kV substation equipped with low-loss The indoor substation consists of two 110/10kV 31.5 MVA power transformers featuring an innovative inverter-based cooling system and feeding 10 kV UniGear double busbar switchgear It serves the residential and commercial area of Lauttasaari and also Länsimetro Lauttasaari’s substation is located only eight metres from the nearest residential balcony and has a small footprint The noise coming from the substation has been reduced by installing the transformers in a closed space and putting the cooling system between the transformer bunkers To minimise the noise caused by fast-spinning fans an AC inverter has been deployed to regulate the speed of the fan blades and substantially decreased energy losses in the cooling system The inverter-based cooling system also keeps the transformer as evenly heated as possible This slows down the aging of the transformer insulation The next step in urban substations is ABB’s underground substation concept that enables up to 98 percent of the installation’s volume to be hidden Only the cooling ducts and the access routes need to be above ground This enables substations to be environmentally friendly and have none of the planning problems encountered by surface- built solutions Underground substations are not a new idea and many partially underground installations are already in operation They must contain essential equipment such as transformers Where they differ is that particular attention must be paid to temperature profiles sizing of cooling and ventilation systems and permissible noise emission levels from ventilation fans These innovative and proven solutions enable the most stringent requirements for power supply within urban areas to be fully met – compactness all while allowing for easy maintenance access and future expansion ABB's website uses cookies. 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Learn more I agree HELSINKI FINLAND The wealthiest 10 percent of Finnish households now hold more than half of the nation’s total net wealth marking a historic shift in wealth distribution according to new data from Statistics Finland The median net wealth of households in Finland was 96,000 euros in 2023 this represents a decline of about 20 percent The median value indicates that half of households have greater net wealth the average net wealth per household stood at 229,000 euros highlighting a growing disparity between high- and low-income groups “One-quarter of households had a net wealth of over 272,100 euros while another quarter had less than 8,100 euros,” Statistics Finland reported Households led by individuals over the age of 54 were the wealthiest The latest figures show that for the first time in recorded history the richest 10 percent of Finnish households control over half of total net wealth while the poorest half of households account for only four percent "While the wealth share of the wealthiest 10 percent has increased with each survey in other deciles the trend has been going downward practically all the time," said Tara Junes a senior statistician at Statistics Finland The wealthiest 10 percent had an average net worth of around 550,000 euros in 2023 while the bottom 10 percent had more debt than assets Junes noted that changes in the housing market have played a major role in the decline of median net wealth “The median value of one’s own main dwelling has decreased compared to 2019 while the trend in housing loans has been upwards,” she said Advertisement inquiries and other after-sales issues: info@helsinkitimes.fi Helsinki Times is the first and only English language newspaper providing news about Finland in English A weekly print edition of Helsinki Times was published from March 2007 up until Feb Helsinki Times is an online-only publication and other groups and individuals interested in Finland from all around the world © Helsinki Times All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Published in 1/2021 - Crisis Interview The Lauttasaari Daycare Centre by Luutonen Architects lines the street like a wall On the other side opens up a small rocky forest The Lauttasaari daycare centre represents the construction of daycare centres of a new scale in Finland – it has room for 250 children How did the large scale affect the design work and how did you make the building perceivable for young children The premise for the design work was a large group of children who have activities in small groups the small groups can “camp” on nature trails The plot has been demarcated from the street with a long wall that shelters the yard The wall consists of the main building and outbuildings which was carried out during the sketching phase The sizeable windows that extend to the floor level have been dimensioned according to their principal users – the children the purpose of the large windows is also to create an image of a building that is smaller than it actually is More photos and drawings of the project → There are both Finnish- and Swedish-speaking daycare groups in the building How did the bilingualism affect the design we divided the functional concept into two parts The Finnish-speaking groups are located at the southern end of the long building the Swedish-speaking groups at the northern end and they have shared facilities in the mid-part of the building An outdoor ramp divides the yard into areas for Finnish- and Swedish-speaking children The division of such a large number of children into two can also be seen as an advantage The daycare centre is located between a park area and Isokaari street there is Lauttasaari Coeducational School designed by Kaija and Heikki Siren How does the building react to its environment The daycare centre and the school form a pair of public buildings between the different parts of Isokaari street we studied the characteristics of the buildings constructed along Isokaari Street in the 1950s and 1960s The design of the daycare centre reflects the architecture of the time The characters of the street frontages and yard facades of the building are very different The idea was to create a building that has been fitted to the scale of the city the projecting balconies and eaves provide sheltered play areas for young children The rocky plot has a key role in the architectural solution Could you tell us more about the building’s relation to nature we had a landscape designer with whom we studied the impacts of the alternative locations of the building on the exceptionally splendid site It became clear that construction on the street sides was the best solution for the preservation of the topography Sheltered play areas and paths have been created on the rocky mound How were the objectives of sustainable construction considered in the design work Due to the long design and construction period the sustainable construction strategies of the City of Helsinki have currently progressed further than what could be anticipated at the beginning of the project the developer and users gathered several times and studied the life-cycle objectives and environmental impacts of the project The starting point was a “nearly zero-energy building” in accordance with the City of Helsinki’s low energy guidelines of the time The materials play a significant role in the building Sustainability was emphasised in the selection of the materials We also wanted to allow the users to make observations by leaving the cast and joint marks visible on loadbearing concrete walls Artworks by visual artist Maija Luutonen have been located in various parts of the building In which phase of the design process did they come along It is a work of art that consists of many parts There is a large textile hanging on the wall of the daycare centre’s hall lighting fixtures in staircases and carvings in stones in the yard The so-called percentage financing art project began during the sketching phase of the building and the art project was carried out together with the Helsinki Art Museum (HAM) approximately one per cent of the construction budget of the city’s major public building projects is allocated to art acquisitions The architect didn’t steer the location of the artworks but the artist herself made a proposal The hanging textile is a key part of the artwork: it is like a map Some parts of the map recur in the other two parts of the artwork the sketch was also commented on by representatives of the future users of the building why was it necessary to build a new daycare centre in Lauttasaari and what kind of objectives were set for its design?  The project was launched a long time before I came along which was a couple of years before the completion of the building so the designs had proceeded for quite a while the daycare situation has been very difficult for a long time The new daycare centre with 250 children isn’t exceptionally large it is common to have 300 or more children.  The daycare centre was opened in April last year Parents have given feedback especially on the yard It is interesting to see how it changes and functions in different seasons the wood panelling in the central corridor is calming We don’t have any experience of the building outside the Covid-19 pandemic but we haven’t been able to organise many common activities for them We also haven’t been able to start cooperation between the Finnish- and Swedish-speaking groups There can only be a limited number of personnel in the coffee room at a time.  Is there anything that could have been designed in another way It seems that the vestibules are always slightly too small A total of 50–60 children walk through one vestibule a few times per day The coatracks are always slightly too small children have snowsuits and more than one pair of shoes for different kinds of weather Article urban planning has failed to pay due consideration to urban carbon sinks and the numerous other benefits of urban green Researchers in the Co-Carbon project compiled a set of tools for architects and landscape architects to foster carbon-smart solutions Rap music echoes with the experiences of young members of minorities regarding their lives and living environments Music linked to neighbourhoods may open up a local perspective on urban planning – provided that the planners recognize the potential to be found within the rap scene the perimeter block has become the go-to urban typology in Finnish urban planning and a symbol of urban life The potential lies in more subtle design choices Subscribe Open image viewerKoivusaari Metro Station Image: Marja Väänänen / YleYle News10.2.2020 15:13Western Helsinki's Koivusaari Metro Station will be closed to passengers for two months this summer to facilitate floor renovation Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) announced on Monday the company which runs and maintains Helsinki’s West Metro line the renovation aims to fix cracks found in the concrete floor of the station The station will be shut from 1 June to 5 August 2020 during which trains will pass through Koivusaari station without stopping The rest of the route will operate as usual HSL plans to increase bus traffic from the Katajaharju and Isokaari areas to the Lauttasaari metro station to serve passengers of the Koivusaari metro station More information about alternate connections will be announced in spring Around 1,500 passengers used the metro station on weekdays in July last year Located underwater between the islands of Lauttasaari and Koivusaari it is touted as the world's only underwater metro station JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 85 New Year's Eve in Finland was relatively peaceful and quiet this year Celebrations were understated in many areas and there were no major incidents reported by the police Officials in various regions across the country urged citizens to stay indoors to prevent the spread of the coronavirus Many chose to follow recommendations and brought in the new year quietly at home the evening seemed to proceed like a normal Friday night In the Helsinki metropolitan area there were a few minor traffic jams with crowds converging in the city centre the city decided to forego the traditional fireworks display in favour of a specially designed laser transmitted from the Helsinki Olympic Stadium Despite a city-wide ban on launching rockets from public spaces the Helsinki night sky was lit up by splendid displays of fireworks as people gathered in small groups to bid farewell to what has undoubtedly been a troubling year You can see more photos of the New Year's Eve celebrations in Helsinki by scrolling through the gallery © Helsinki Times All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy and veteran's centenaryFinnair managers may be given priority in choosing discounted ticket seats over longer-tenured members of the staff HS pointed to a longstanding internal dispute between Finnair and its employees over who has priority in selecting discounted tickets for leisure travel Finnair employees can purchase a discounted ticket The final decision is then made at the gate to see if they can board the flight employees who've been with the company longest have been able to secure the standby seats over newer workers Finnair told employees that managers would get priority on the discounted seats Tuesday's walkout also helped to bring wider attention to another issue about the highly desired perk "The employer [Finnair] suggested to staff that management members should be allowed to choose their flights first Our unions have indicated that this change is not feasible It is precisely leisure travel that is at stake," said Juhani Haapasaari In an interview with tabloid IltalehtiOpens an external website Helsinki Police Chief Inspector Katja Nissinen urged residents in the Lauttasaari district to refrain from organising neighbourhood patrols In response to an increase in criminal activity Lauttasaari locals created a Facebook group to patrol the area and to discourage young people from engaging in disruptive behaviour the robbery suspects are known to police and will face legal measures She also emphasised that while there may have been a group of disruptive young people in Lauttasaari Much of the discussion in Lauttasaari and on the Facebook group has referred to the group as such and many concerned parents say their children have felt threatened but that is far from criminal gang activity," Nissinen said adding that neighbourhood patrols can complicate the work of the police it's better to call the police than to intervene but leave it to the police to deal with any disturbance," Nissinen said She further emphasised that locals should be careful about what they read on social media because there may be exaggerations Lapland paper Lapin KansaOpens an external website covers the birthday of Aarno Muotka a lifelong resident of the Tornio River Valley and the last living war veteran in the region and the following day plans to join family and friends at a local church to mark the occasion Muotka's military service spanned three years and two wars starting in the Continuation War in January 1942 and ending in November 1944 He fought in what is today the Russian Republic of Karelia defended a major Red Army offensive on the Karelian Isthmus and survived a gun shot through his neck during the Lapland War there are around 2,500 surviving war veterans in Finland Such veterans include those who fought in the 1939-1940 Winter War the 1941-1944 Continuation War and the 1944-1945 Lapland War Muotka commented on his ageing and exceedingly rare cohort Since there are no other veterans in the Tornio River Valley all these services will probably be offered to me," the 100-year-old veteran joked Would you like a roundup of the week's top stories in your inbox every Thursday? Then sign up to receive our weekly email the Finnish real estate market has shown intriguing statistical trends Data indicates a discernible shift in the housing market with prices for used apartments in major cities like Helsinki and Tampere experiencing a slight decrease reflecting a market adjustment post-COVID-19 property prices have remained relatively stable suggesting a consistent demand in these regions the stability in rural areas underscores a sustained interest in less densely populated regions possibly fueled by remote working trends and a growing appreciation for quieter living environments Amidst fluctuating global economic conditions Finland's real estate market emerges as a beacon of opportunity With a unique blend of market dynamics at play now presents an opportune moment for potential property buyers This article will delve into three compelling reasons why investing in Finnish real estate is a wise choice at this juncture Declining Interest Rates Signal AffordabilityDanske Bank's projection suggests a decrease in market rates over the next two years predicting the year-end Euribor to hover around 3% by the end of this year and near 2% by the end of 2025 Head of Personal Customer Loans at Danske Bank would significantly ease the monthly burden on borrowers She advises considering diverting some of the savings from reduced loan installments to savings and investments The lowered interest rates are set to make mortgage repayments more affordable thereby increasing the attractiveness of real estate investments A Balanced Real Estate Market with Time for ConsiderationThe real estate market in Finland is experiencing a revival buyers now have more time to deliberate their decisions The market shift benefits both first-time buyers and those looking to change homes Takala emphasizes the importance of considering the condition and repair history of properties before purchase This increased breathing room in decision-making combined with a lively market typically seen in spring suggests a favorable environment for making informed real estate investments Advantageous Conditions for First-Time HomebuyersDespite the removal of the exemption from the transfer tax for first-time homebuyers the lowered transfer tax rates from 2% to 1.5% for apartment shares and from 4% to 3% for property transactions present a silver lining Sari Takala points out that the current market situation is particularly beneficial for first-time buyers due to the decreased prices of properties Danske Bank's extension of benefits for first-time homebuyers the convergence of declining interest rates a balanced real estate market offering more time for decision-making and favorable conditions for first-time homebuyers make the Finnish real estate market an attractive investment opportunity at present © Helsinki Times All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy only to find one of their own engaged in a fistfight Open image viewerThe Japanese ambassador’s home in the leafy Kuusisaari neighbourhood Image: Irene Stachon / LehtikuvaYle News31.8.2018 13:16•Updated 31.8.2018 13:22Helsinki police responded to a call about an erratically behaving man in the quiet island neighbourhoods of Lauttasaari and Kuusisaari early Friday morning The man is suspected of barging onto the grounds of the Japanese ambassador’s official residence and scuffling with an embassy staff member Police received an alarm shortly after 3 am Friday via the emergency centre Someone from the South African Embassy had called to report a disruptive man in the Lauttasaari area Officers found a man using a vehicle near the Japanese ambassador’s home in the upscale Kuusisaari district A guard working in the area had encountered the man outside the residence He was described as behaving erratically and trying to enter the residence the man came to blows with an embassy employee The guard asked police to help and let them into the embassy-owned property Police decided there was a serious threat of danger to life and limb and took the intruder into custody so the matter has been handed over for an internal police investigation The man is suspected of aggravated disturbance of the peace JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 58 The National Bureau of Investigation (KRP) has revealed that several people are suspected of turning a massive profit from fraudulent real estate dealings in Greater Helsinki at the expense of the Russian Federation KRP states in a press release that the suspected ringleader is a former managing director of a Russian state-owned property management company based in Finland The ex-managing director is believed to have pocketed roughly 2.5 million of the 4.5 million euros generated by the criminal activities with the help of a real estate firm a lawyer and property appraiser operating in the capital region The Russian Federation divested 58 centrally-located properties in Greater Helsinki in October in order to acquire an office building in Lauttasaari The properties were handed over to the Espoo-based real estate firm which purchased and transferred the office building to control of the property management company The real estate company immediately offloaded the 58 properties to a number of companies specialising in real estate KRP believes the properties' appraised value of was considerably lower than their market value allowing the Espoo-based company to record a profit of 4.5 million euros the profits were transferred to the bank account of a consultancy firm operating in Switzerland The criminal profits were then distributed among the conspirators with the Espoo-based real estate firm receiving 1.5 million the Swiss consultant roughly 200,000 and the lawyer roughly 400,000 euros KRP believes the main conspirators were planning on using the same strategy also in other countries The former managing director has confessed to being involved in the fraud and has been sentenced to a prison term of four years by a Russian court for perpetrating an aggravated fraud against the Russian Federation The other suspects have contrastively denied all criminal accusations KRP co-operated with authorities in both Russia and Switzerland during the course of the pre-trial investigation It is set to present the case to a prosecutor for consideration of charges in the near future Aleksi Teivainen – HTPhoto: Jussi Nukari – Lehtikuva The City Plan 2016 guides land use and traffic planning in Helsinki Helsinki will be developed as a rail network city Significant new land use is planned in the surroundings of motorway areas rail traffic hubs and the existing and future major rail traffic stops Up to 45 per cent of new residential buildings will be complementary construction in existing residential areas The local master plans supplement the city plan They will be prepared for the Länsiväylä and Viikinranta-Lahdenväylä areas and for Östersundom and Vartiosaari A local master plan identifies the area’s key community structure and focuses on issues that are essential to the urban structure It steers the future detailed planning of the area in question The Supreme Administrative Court repealed some of the City Plan 2016 markings along the Länsiväylä the plan allows for urban construction on both sides of the repealed strip in Lauttasaari The local master planning applies to Länsiväylä and its surrounding areas in Koivusaari The local master plan will be prepared in 2022–2025 The planning work aims to reduce the adverse effects of the fairway-type traffic environment on the population and to explore the possibilities of developing the urban structure along Länsiväylä in Lauttasaari and Salmisaari determining the area’s land use and traffic as a whole enabling diverse housing production under the AM Housing and Land Use Programme diversifying the service structure of the area providing good locations for business activities and workplaces and creating the preconditions for a high-quality and attractive urban space The preparation of the plan shall consider the impact of the plan on the residents’ living conditions The impact of the new urban structure and any land reclamation on climate and adaptation to climate change will also be considered The harbour tunnel to be built from the West Harbour to Länsiväylä affects the land use planning in Salmisaari Viikinranta−Lahdenväylä plan connects Arabianranta to Viikki Public transport will be based on the Viikki-Malmi light rail line The local master plan ensures the implementation conditions and smooth traffic for Viima and enables new construction in its influence area The Viima light rail line is estimated to be completed in the 2030s which is important for national public transport and freight traffic The Natura site in Vanhankaupunginlahti is an important starting point for the planning the natural values of which will be safeguarded despite increased land use and attrition The green network is one of the attraction factors in the area Rail link and green network key issues at Östersundom The joint master plan for Östersundom by Helsinki and planning in the area continues with local master planning The planning area of Östersundom’s partial master plan includes the entire Östersundom greater district and part of the Mustavuori subarea The local master plan aims to prepare for the population growth in Helsinki to steer the growth in a sustainable manner to increase the supply of diverse housing types to provide construction sites for detached houses and to balance the regional structure of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area towards the east The key issues to be resolved in the Östersundom local master plan are the rail link the land use supporting it and the strengthening of the green network nature reserves and important ecological links in the area are important starting points for the planning There is also small-scale detailed planning ongoing in Östersundom for Landbo and the northern part of Karhusaari and a detached housing planning programme to allow complementary construction in the existing detached house areas in Östersundom Vartiosaari designated for recreational use In accordance with the Helsinki City Strategy 2021−2025 Vartiosaari is designated for recreational use The island is developed into an active recreational area as a part of the East Helsinki Culture Park The aim is to plan the recreational activities in line with the nature values in the area The island as a whole is part of the maritime East Helsinki Culture Park and the forests are part of the Helsinki forest network holiday and tourism services in Vartiosaari will be facilitated The plan will ensure the accessibility of services on the island and consider the existing recreational routes Residents and stakeholders consulted during the planning The progress of the local master plans and opportunities for participation will be communicated throughout the planning process The most important participation procedures include the statutory deposit stage negotiations between authorities and stakeholders presentation and discussion events and informal discussions with the planners More detailed information on the participation opportunities and planning schedules is available on the Helsinki New Horizons website The City of Espoo and Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) have opened a dialogue to reduce the traffic congestions caused by the recent opening of the western extension of Helsinki Metro “The problems and congestions in the public transport system are a cause of grievance at the moment,” Olli Isotalo the head of technical and environmental services at the City of Espoo naturally expects that the problems will be resolved by HSL People must be able to get around both in the morning and evening Public transport should be such that you don’t have to fret about it,” he stressed The city is eager to find a solution through dialogue particularly because if the problems cannot be solved without providing supplementary transport services it would likely have to bear most of the costs Isotalo explained that roughly half of the costs would be covered with fare revenue while the other half would fall on the shoulders of the municipality acquiring the services The negotiations have yet to yield any concrete sums or proposals estimated that a decision should be made as early as by the end of January “I’m confident that we’ll get a few proposals for proposals during the course of January HSL said in advance that after the feeder traffic services are launched it’ll gather experience for a while and then we’ll see what’s really the problem instead of following our initial hunch.” “We’ve been focusing so far on identifying what’s technically feasible: what could be done quickly and what would take more time We aren’t approaching this problem with only the costs on our mind even though they’ll of course be factored in in the latter stages,” told Isotalo have calculated that the opening of the western track extension and the subsequent discontinuation of bus services have added up to ten minutes to commutes from various parts of Espoo to Kamppi stated earlier this week that a roughly ten-minute increase in commute times is unacceptable He argued that although the priority should be to provide feeder services to the new metro line Aleksi Teivainen – HTPhoto: Antti Aimo-Koivisto – LehtikuvaSource: Uusi Suomi Local residents interviewed by Helsingin Sanomat have dashed cold water on a proposal to close several neighbourhood health care centres and to establish larger centres to provide services to patients from specific age brackets The daily wrote on Friday that Helsinki is set to centralise the provision of social and health services and to close Viiskulma and Lauttasaari by as early as 2018 views that the most important aspect of health care centres is their proximity “What's the point in making sick people move from one edge of the city to the other and making the elderly and children take long trips on slippery winter roads?” he asked Varjonen on Friday estimated that the proposal unveiled by Helsinki would only increase traffic volumes and gobble up resources “It smacks of someone in a new position wanting to make changes,” he said the idea of creating health care centres that specialise in providing services to patients from a particular age group is artificial and meaningless 5 family centres and 14 general service centres would provide all the services needed by Helsinkians - The Department of Social Services and Health Care is to consider the proposal on 2 and 23 September “What's the difference between fixing the teeth of 60-year-old Hannu and 11-year-old Tiina Why should doctors who treat patients be in different places Antti Rauhala estimated while visiting the Paloheinä Library with his four-year-old daughter Aava that the proposal would mean that his family would have to use the health care centre in Malmi “It's indeed practical that it's right here,” the 36-year-old Rauhala said about his neighbourhood health care centre in Paloheinä “Finland has run up debt for quite some time and yet there's no money for basic services Rauhala voiced his doubts over the proposed size of the health care centres from Maununneva estimated that the size of the centres would provide no notable benefits If the health care centre in Paloheinä was shut down as proposed Tani would have to take her children Hilma Tani Kaisu Moilanen – HSAleksi Teivainen – HT© HELSINGIN SANOMATPhoto: Benjamin Suomela / HS