Tales from around Espoo»6–9

1 / 2012 the magazine for espoo citizens
public notice
Tales from
around Espoo
From dirt track to
metro line »10
Improving the world
through design »14
Meet the people that
create their own futures »16–17
»6–9
FROM THE EDITOR
Espoo gets some
healthy reform
of Finland faces some big
challenges ahead. In Espoo too the investment
programme is running at a record high and the
services promised to Espoo's residents are more
demanding than ever before. We have many children and youngsters, growing immigration and a
rapidly increasing population of senior citizens.
'Espoo story' is our future strategy, through
which we are devising a common goal for residents,
staff and policymakers alike. In the 'Espoo story',
WE will rise to the challenges together: through a
functioning democracy, through better leadership,
through resident and customer-oriented services
and through a dedicated workforce.
For me, local reform is about the way will be able
to generally organise our welfare services in the
future and how the lifeblood of our regions and cities can be preserved. These are the very issues at
the heart of the 'Espoo story'. In the metropolitan
area, the best solution is a network-based approach,
which is applicable to all Western metropolises.
I'm certain that Espoo's collective desire to face
future challenges in its own unique fashion, by performing its own jobs properly and by shouldering
the responsibility for the development of the region
as a whole, demonstrates the strength of this network-based approach to the policymakers. Results
are borne by commitment, not by force nor by
"forced mergers".
The affluent society
Jukka Mäkelä
Mayor of Espoo
2 « ESPOO-magazine
photo antti vettenranta
1 / 2012
»6
Tales from
around Espoo
»14
»3
My two cents
On the corner
»10
From dirt tracks
to metro line
»15
The world
through design
Column and
recipe
»19
»21
Happening
in Espoo
»4
»5
’
News and
Espoo Manor
Espoo through the
eyes of Karatalo
»11
»12
Nursery school
teacher
»16
Come and visit
TVK!
Espoo
announcements
The espoo magazine 1/2012
Publisher The city of Espoo, PL 12, 02070 Espoon kaupunki,
09 81 621, www.espoo.fi, [email protected]
Editor-In-Chief Satu Tyry-Salo, communications manager
Edited by Markkinointiviestintä Dialogi Ltd
Creative Director Anneli Myller
Managing Editor Katarina Cygnel-Nuortie
Layout Jessica Leino
Producer Irene Dahlman
Cover Fleur Wilson
ISSN 1798-8446
Espoo
Central Park
»18
A whole week
of new pursuits
ON THE CORNER
photo antti vettenranta
text and photos Lilli Ollikainen
My two
cents
Great services
and tidiness get
the thumbs up
from Ella, Raimo
and Krista.
+
Youth leisure services have
improved and are the focus of
much investment. Over the
years, a number of sports parks and
multi-purpose facilities have been
built in Espoo.
+
The overall reputation of Espoo
Centre has vastly improved and
compares favourably with other
city centres. Construction projects are
diverse. The Entresse shopping centre has brought a number of services
to the area.
+
The Ring Road I tunnel (Kehä I
Mestarintunneli) and changes
to Ring Road II (Kehä II) have
greatly improved transport links, both
for police emergency response times
and general mobility.
+
The big shopping centres (Iso
Omena and Sello) bring a lot of
money into the city. This has a
positive effect on the daily lives of residents elsewhere in the region and the
services available to them.
text Lilli Ollikainen
+
City
on the
up and up
my path
Resident of Tuomarila,
police inspector Teemu
Värtinen, 45, says Espoo
Centre's revamped image
looks rosy.
Born in
Savonlinna,
1967.
Met his
wife when
they were
both still at
school.
Moved to
Matinkylä,
1986.
Attended
police college in Tampere and
Espoo.
Espoo's new detox treatment
centre is a great thing. We no
longer need to put drug addicts
in jail, rather they can sort themselves
out in the care of medical staff and
can receive the necessary guidance for
further treatment or other services. In
Vantaa, for example, drug addicts are
a burden on the services of Peijas hospital because the city doesn't have a
detox treatment centre.
-
Complex family problems have
increased and drug abuse is on the
rise throughout the country. Individuals and families who are in difficulty are at the greatest risk.n
Took up a
post with
the Espoo
District
Police, 1989.
First child
born in
Viherlaakso,
1993.
Second
Has lived in
son born in
Tuomarila
Jorvi, 2000. since 1995.
ELLA, 13,
LAAJALAHTI
+ New detached and
terraced houses have
been built in the place
of old buildings. The
area has been smartened up and the place
has more life about it.
+ Laajalahti library has been
renovated and a new youth centre,
Kolo, was added.
+ Sello has been extended with
Sello Rex.
- The postal service was stopped in
Laajalahti R-Kioski so now the nearest post office is in Tapiola.
RAIMO, 64,
LEPPÄVAARA
+ The city's information
services have diversified. At residents' meetings we are told about
city-planning projects
and you can ask questions via the feedback system on the Espoo City website.
+ All of the city centre services have
been developed. Nearby, we have
the busiest library in the metropolitan area, a general service point
and fantastic transport links.
+ Parking spaces are included as
part of properties, rather than on
the road.
- There aren't really any places for
small businesses any more. In the
'70s, over the road from the Maxi
shopping centre in Leppävaara
there were plenty of thriving small
businesses: a timberyard, a small
machine workshop, a car wash, a
metal workshop...
KRISTA, 42,
ESPOONLAHTI
+ Local services have
noticeably increased.
+ Green parkland has
been kept despite new
construction.
+ The transport infrastructure has been developed. Maybe the new metro
line will even reduce the traffic on
the busy western motorway out of
Helsinki centre.
- As someone who lives by the sea,
I really love the footpaths along the
shore. However, it's a shame that
many of these have not been maintained. Trees, bushes and reeds are
running wild. n
ESPOO-magazine » 3
ON THE CORNER
5 x WDC project
This year, Espoo is the World Design Capi-
tal (WDC) alongside Helsinki, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti. Of the many WDC 2012 projects, half are various development projects
while the other half are events.
NUUKSIO
The Finnish Nature
Centre, Haltia,
will be completed
around new year
2012-2013.
SUURPELTO
Long-growing flax!
Outdoor event and
Suurpelto residents' photography
exhibition in the
information pavilion on 8 March.
The T3 region
The 'Garden Plots
for the Masses'
project in Jousenkaari and Ossinpuisto park in Otaniemi. Grow boxes
will be brought
into Keilaniemi so
that employees of
companies in the
area can cultivate
plants.
photo espoon kartano, espoon kaupunginmuseo
HISTORY
4 « ESPOO-magazine
TAPIOLA
The home of
Espoo's WDC facilities is the exhibition centre in
WeeGee.
OTANIEMI
The aim of Aalto
University's 365
Wellbeing projects
is to prov ide everbetter welfare services and healthcare.
City of Espoo news
Facebook &
Twitter
Espoo's Facebook pages are
at http://www.facebook.com/
espoonkaupunki. If you are
signed in to Facebook on your
own account, you can follow and comment on the City
of Espoo's news and event
items. You can also read
Espoo's pages without signing in. We reply to your queries quickly.
As well as on Facebook, the
City of Espoo's pages can be
found on the microblogging
service Twitter, the video service YouTube, and the photosharing site Flickr. n
Online dentist
appointments
You can see the full WDC
2012 programme at:
wdchelsinki2012.fi
You can now book dentist
appointments for preschoolage children online. Closer
to the appointment date, the
child's carer will be sent a letter containing clear directions. Other dental customers
can check, cancel or transfer
previously booked appointments online, unless the
appointment is for orthodontic or emergency treatment.
The online service can be
accessed using bank details. n
End-of-term
report for local
services
According to a survey carried
out by the Finnish Consulting Group in autumn 2011, we
are prouder of our municipal services in Espoo than the
residents of other big cities
(with the exception of Oulu).
The overall grade for Espoo's
services was 7.42, while the
average for the whole survey
was 7.01.
The number of people
that are satisfied with dental care services has grown
by five per cent since 2010 to
38%. The number of unsatisfied customers has dropped
by up to 10 per cent. However,
one in four Espoo residents is
unhappy with the way dental
care services are delivered.
According to one in three
respondents, the city's financial affairs are being well
handled; in 2012, only one
in four thought so. 25%
of respondents suggested
that the medical services at
health centres could do with
improvement, while 18% of
respondents said that more
could be done to maintain the
roads. n
Espoo.fi
revamped
Check out the City of Espoo's
most up-to-date website at
www.espoo.fi. The site contains all of the key information about the goings-on and
services in Espoo in English.
Feedback, a service directory, contact information and
map services are all available
in English. You can find all of
the information with a handy
term search. Also available is
an advanced search by which
you can search the contents
according to target group,
region, date or topic. You can
share any news articles or
other pages with your friends
on various social media sites.
Infopankki.fi services are
also available in 15 other languages. n
The grieving mother
of Espoo Manor
at the eastern border culminated in the 1555–1557 war between
Sweden and Russia. King Gustav Vaasa,
who encouraged the unrest, decided to
establish the royal estate in what is now
the region of Espoo. The job was delegated to county steward Anders Korp.
The land of the medieval Espoo villages
of Espåby and Mankby were acquired on
behalf of the crown in a trade-off on 27
August 1556 and work on the magnificent four-towered wooden began.
The stewards of the estate changed
frequently, the crop failures of the 1600s
came with high taxation and the wars
of the 1700s took their toll on the estate
and its inhabitants. The estate blossomed once more when the baron
Anders Henrik Ramsay, well-renowned
for a decorated military career, bought
the estate in 1756. The dynamic owner
of eight estates undertook extensive
Skirmishes
renovation work on the manor. Since his
time, the main building, the symmetrical
side buildings and the oldest stone arch
bridge in the country have survived to
the present day.
It is said that the baron's only inheritor, Sofia Lovisa Ramsay, can still be seen
on the grounds of the estate, grieving for
the two sons she lost in war. The brothers are mentioned in Runeberg's 'Tales
of Ensign Stål'. Although no flames are
allowed in the house, it is possible to see
the flickering of a candle in the windows
of the great hall as the darkness of evening draws in – and feel an inexplicable
pang of sadness.
Today, the estate is owned by the family company Esbogård Ab, which rents
out the main building for celebrations.
The crown that features on the city's coat
of arms alludes to Espoo's royal estate. n
text Tarja Sinervo
photo espoon kaupunki
ON THE CORNER
The Espoo choir that finished
Safa Kari
Raimoranta, my
architect, says
I'm a good representative of my
own era.
fourth in the 2011 series of Choir
Wars practiced within my walls.
Oh, how I loved it – both the music
and the camera lights. I certainly
did wonder why that lovely choirmaster Jonsu chose Dingo's Autiotalo as the first song. The song did
nothing for me, personally.
Every week, I meet about a thousand Espoo residents and offer
practice space for up to 400 hours
of activities. I boast a 135-seater
hall with great acoustics and a
number of smaller spaces. This
year I'm also promising you all a
packed celebration programme in
honour of my 25th birthday.
espoo.fi/karatalo
Espoo has over
3300
registered
associations
In the old days, people
used to meet in private association houses.
Modern-day residents of
Espoo hope for communal residential and meeting facilities in conjunction with libraries, shopping centres and sporting
facilities.
Sources: Järjestökartoitus
2011 ja 4 V -hanke.
I'm located
by the Old
Turku Highway.
I was completed
in 1987.
text Katarina Cygnel-Nuortie
Espoo through
the eyes of
Karatalo
Do you know me? Perhaps
you've seen me at some
point on TV. This year
I'm celebrating my 25th
birthday.
Espoo has a hatful of different
common residential facilities.
The newest of these, Asukastalo
Kylämaja in Matinkylä, celebrated its inauguration last autumn.
Kylämaja is a communal living
room for city residents; a place
where people can relax and get
together for various activities.
These communal spaces also serve organisations.
Espoon Järjestöjen Yhteisö ry
(EJY) ("the Espoo Association
of Organisations") is constructing a new website on which you
can find information about all of
the communal spaces for civic
activities in Espoo. If you would
like to take part in the development of the website, please feel
free to send an email to: paivi.
[email protected]. n
Asukastalo Kylämaja,
Matinkatu 7,
open Monday to Friday
9am–6pm,
tel. 045 7733 0302,
www.kalliola.fi.
Espoon Järjestöjen Yhteisö
ejy.fi (in Finnish only)
n Meeting facilities:
espoo.fi/kokoontumistilat
n Function rooms:
visitespoo.fi/matkailuopas/
syo_ja_juhli/juhlatilat
n Private saunas:
visitespoo.fi/matkailuopas/
nae_ja_koe/saunat_paasivu
n Meeting and
conference facilities:
visitespoo.fi/kokous_ja_
kongressi/kokousta
ESPOO-magazine » 5
IN THE CENTRE
TEXT AND PHOTOS lilli ollikainen, ILLUSTRATION fleur wilson
Tales from
around
Espoo
Finland's fastest-grown
city is full to the brim with
intriguing stories. Over the
next few pages, you can read
five of these tales.
6 « ESPOO-magazine
IN THE CENTRE
Espoo started to grow in the
1950s from the centres of Tapiola and Otaniemi. In 1960, the
municipality owned just two per
cent of the territory, which led
to an irregular fashion of construction: construction companies built on the areas that they
owned, which were located all
over Espoo. That same decade,
housing construction expanded
to Karakallio, Viherlaakso, Haukilahti, Soukka and Iivisniemi.
Some 1,200 new homes were
built each year, the majority of
which were in apartment buildings, of which about 30 went up
per year.
Where Espoo's administrative centre should be was long
an issue for debate. The political left and the Swedish-speakers did not want the centre in
Tapiola. The social democrats
proposed Leppävaara, but
this did not suit the conservatives. In 1963, it was proposed
that Espoo be divided into four
regions of equal size, in which
each would have about 80,000
inhabitants. The decision to
locate the administrative centre
in the Muurala area, near Espoo
church, came about in 1965. An
international architectural competition for construction on the
area was organised, and was
won by Poland. However, the
plans were built only gradually.
construction
spread out further to Suvela,
Matinkylä, Olari, Kivenlahti and
Perkkaa. Espoo was granted
city status in January 1972. This
came after decades of campaigning for Espoo against proposals for regionalisation and
calls to merge with Helsinki,
and a large popular movement
in favour of Espoo.
In the 1970s,
Gradually, the average squaremetrage of homes grew and, in
1980, residents of Espoo were
living in more spacious homes,
on average, than anywhere else
in Finland. The terraced housing boom began and apartment
building homes as a share of all
new homes dropped to below
half. Throughout the 1990s and
2000s, housing construction
split in two directions: smallerscale apartment building homes
and larger single-family homes.
At the turn of the millennium,
Leppävaara was briefly the
fastest growing district
in all of Europe.
has five town centres: Espoo Centre, Leppävaara,
Tapiola, Matinkylä and Espoonlahti, as well as the local centres
of Kauklahti and Kalajärvi. It is
hard to think that Leppävaara
has as many inhabitants as
Vaasa and Espoonlahti as many
inhabitants as there are in
Hämeenlinna. The population
of Tapiola is a little bigger than
that of Järvenpää, and Matinkylä and Espoo Centre each
have enough folk to fill Kerava.
The population of Northern
Espoo is comparable to that of
Kuhmo, while the population of
Kauklahti is something equivalent to that of Nummi-Pusula.
In today's Espoo, we live
more tightly-packed than average in Finland. Fifty six per cent
of homes are in apartment
buildings, 15 %
are terraced
houses
and
Today, Espoo
27 % are single-family houses.
The share of construction of
single-family houses in Espoo
and Vantaa is about equal, while
in Helsinki it is under a fifth.
In Espoo, the average square
metrage for single-family homes
is about 10 m2 greater than in
Vantaa or Helsinki.
Espoo's target is to build
2,500 new homes per year during the present decade. The
majority of new construction
projects are for apartment
buildings located along the new
metro line. Older residential
areas are also being filled and
completely new areas, such as
Finnoo, are being built. The construction of single-family homes
is being concentrated in Central
and Northern Espoo.
ESPOO-magazine » 7
IN THE CENTRE
Work and entrepreneurship
the 1990s, a large
number of Espoo residents still travelled outside the city for work. In
future, there will be more and more
jobs in Espoo. The city's employment self-sufficiency is already at
over 95 per cent. This means that
for every 100 people of working age
and capacity, there are more than
95 jobs.
At the start of
example of this
developing Espoo is the OtaniemiTapiola-Keilaniemi area, which
is known as T3 for short: science
(Tiede) in Otaniemi, art (Taide) in
Tapiola, and finance (Talous) in
Keilaniemi. Huge investment is
taking place in the area, including
three metro stations, the biggest
walking centre in the Nordic countries, and the world's first innovation university, Aalto University.
Some 30 private or public construction projects are at the planning stage or already underway.
The most visible
The western branch of the Helsinki
metro line, which is due for completion in 2015, will place the T3 area
at only a 10-minute journey away
from Helsinki city centre and will
make it a second city centre for the
whole metropolitan area. All in all,
this is the biggest construction project in Espoo's history, for which
private and public funding stands
somewhere in the region of four or
five billion euros. The investment
adds to the region's advantage as
Northern Europe's biggest innovation centre.
about half of all the
hi-tech innovations in Finland
originate in the Otaniemi-TapiolaKeilaniemi area. This wave of creativity stems from the fact that the
people who live there work on longterm projects and are able to combine expertise from different fields.
The success of the individuals and
companies of the T3 area in the
international ambit is of paramount
importance for Finland as a whole.
Already now,
been making headlines since the 1950s, when Finland's most celebrated architect,
Alvar Aalto, designed the plans for
Otaniemi's campus area. Otaniemi
is still Finland's only Americanstyle campus, where everything is
located in one place, from student
halls and sports facilities to laboratories and lecture theatres. Today,
it is also Northern Europe's largest science and technology centre,
accommodating more than 31,000
professionals and students in the
field of technology. There are more
than 5,000 researchers – while, for
example, Sweden's largest equivalent institution in Stockholm,
Kista Science City, has only 1,200
researchers. The working language
in the area is English, and the lunch
break offers a chance to hear countless other languages from around
the world. There are 25 different
universities, research institutions
and polytechnics all within walking distance of one another. There
are also more than 800 compa-
The area has
Farmer
Carl-Gustav Pettersson,
56, is a fourth-generation
farmer. He wants to hold
onto his parent property in
Vanhakartano.
"The most upsetting
thing was when they built
the Kehä III ring road through
the village. Forest was felled, the
field was ploughed over and the rocks were excavated.
I farm wheat, barley and oats on my parent
property that stretches 15 km north to Lahnus.
Farming is in my blood, I could never give it up.
I also run a sawmill. My grandfather bought his
first saw in 1910. I finished school at 15. My father
said that it was a waste of time – there would be
plenty of work on the farm.
I still used to hunt hare in the 1980s. I used
to set out from home with the dog and walk over
the two-lane Kehä III ring road. In the evening I
would come home, with the dog following in his
own sweet time.
The culturally-historic setting of Vanhakartano is treasured. More people have moved into
the area, and some farming properties have been
granted more construction permits.
The water systems have improved thanks
to technology put in place by the local government. In the '60s and '70s, waste water just went
straight into the lake. At Pitkäjärvi, the lake is
drained of rubbish and the vegetation is cut back
every other year. The upkeep of the lake is a
never-ending job that passes from generation to
generation.
The growth of Espoo can no longer be slowed
down. When I hear people at residents' meetings complaining about the noise from air and
road traffic, I wonder why they moved from the
country. For those of us who have lived here our
whole lives, everything is natural.
8 « ESPOO-magazine
Choirmaster
Director of Tapiola
choir and the EMO Ensemble chamber choir, Pasi
Hyökki, 41, wishes there
was more singing in
schools.
"I spent my childhood
and youth in Espoo. When I
went to music college, the majority of my classes were in Jousenkaari school.
When the cultural centre was built, all issues
about space were immediately resolved. Now,
practice spaces are again in short supply, especially for larger groups.
As a singer, I'm concerned about singing ability. During my childhood at Jousenkaari school,
we sang every day and not just in music lessons.
Apparently these day, kids don't want to sing in
school. It is because of this that children's voice
control no longer develops in the same way and
singers applying to join the Tapiola choir aren't
able to use their voices like before.
The people of Espoo can be proud of their cultural heritage. Espoo Music College, which was
founded in 1963, is Finland's biggest and oldest art school and is a great place to work. In
its nearly 50-year history, the Tapiola choir has
developed from a regular Finnish school choir
into a choir that is internationally renowned in
choral circles. Espoo's desire to invest in culture
is perhaps greater than that of my current home
town, Helsinki.
Tapiola's cultural environment has to be
cherished. By cleaning up some of the insignificant buildings, Tapiola could really be made to
shine again. In the '50s, people wanted a district
in Espoo that could speak volumes through its
architecture.
IN THE CENTRE
nies based in the area, with the
global headquarters of Nokia,
Kone, Neste Oil, Rovio, Fortum and Huhtamäki. Microsoft,
DuPont, Bayer and Nissan are
just some of the more than 100
foreign companies based there.
Furthermore, each year Otaniemi produces over 50 start-up
companies, which are just setting up production and are not
yet making a profit.
We, the people of Espoo
were 13,400 residents of Espoo; now, there are
252,500. Compared with elsewhere in Finland, more Espoo
residents have higher education
degrees and earn decent wages.
According to KELA's sicknessincidence index (which tells
how healthy or sick the population is in relation to the
national average), the people of
Espoo where the healthiest in
all of Finland during 2010. Over
In 1940, there
the last 20 years, Espoo's unemployment rate has always been
at least two per cent lower than
those of neighbouring cities.
Espoo saw the lowest crime rate
in all Finland during the past
two decades. Internationally
too, it is a very low rate.
Espoo was a city for families
and children 20 years ago and it
still is today. There is a noticeably lower number of people living alone here than elsewhere
in Finland or in neighbouring
Helsinki and Vantaa. Almost
every other Espoo family has
young children.
Nonetheless, the number of
people of retirement age is rising fast. According to projections, by 2021 there will be
almost 15,500 more Espoo residents aged 65 and above than
there are today. When the relative proportion of workingage residents declines, the
International
businessman
Otaniemi-based Picosun
Oy will double its turnover
this year to more than 10
million euros. CEO Juhana
Kostamo, 35, believes in
the future.
"Set up in 2004, Picosun Oy is a Finnish manufacturer of thin film. We make devices
needed in nanotechnology. As a 'Born global' company, more than 90% of our revenue comes from
abroad. We have about 30 employees.
Espoo's strengths include VTT and the Aalto
University campus. I myself graduated from TKK
with a masters in chemical engineering in 2000.
A big research institute is indispensable to us. We
rent office space from VTT and make good use of
the infrastructure. When first setting up a company, that kind of investment just isn't possible.
Maintenance alone costs millions each year.
Espoo also attracts workers from abroad. Collaboration with neighbouring regions is important
so that we can survive in the international ambit.
We need large-scale international investment and
headquarters to come here. Nonetheless, building
a factory in Espoo is many times more expensive
than building elsewhere.
The price of housing has to stay reasonable
so that we can also bring workers in from other
parts of Finland. Otherwise, companies will not be
able to offer liveable wages. The internal struggle within the metropolitan area is not helping.
Instead of competing against neighbouring cities,
Espoo should be able to compete with St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Stockholm.
city's financial management
will become more challenging than ever before. The issue
is also affected by an increasing immigration population,
especially as much of the influx
includes young families who
require a lot of social services.
Since 1991, the percentage of
native speakers of other languages has risen from 1.3 to 9.4.
Immigration is one of the factors in our success. We have to
be able to attract the world's
best experts and also learn to
harness the enterprising spirit
of immigrants. Nonetheless, the
proportion of foreign nationals
in Espoo is still low compared
with the world's most competitive financial areas.
growth is
still on-going and brings challenges. As the rate of growth of
Finland's economy has slowed
down permanently as a whole,
according to current forecasts,
The tale of Espoo's
ex-pat
Mother of an expatriate
family, Hanna Nurmela, 43,
flew back to the nest last
summer when she swapped
life in Miami for Espoo. Many
things feel new.
"After four years, it was
lovely to come back to my home
town. My first-born goes to Espoo
International School and the two youngest ones
attend Tähtiniitty school.
Getting around independently by foot, bike or
bus is a new thing for the kids. In Miami we had to
take them everywhere.
One difference between the two cities is security. In Espoo, I don't need to be concerned in the
same way, though Miami wasn't particularly frightening. And, even though Miami's scenery is great,
we feel that we live closer to nature in Espoo.
Public transport here is superb and services
are easily accessible. In Miami, we depended on
our own car.
School also feels different. In high school,
there were about 1,500 pupils and the elementary
school had over 900. Some subjects were missing
from the timetable, such as woodwork, craft and
home economics.
The biggest change that we've noticed since
being away from Espoo is the internationalisation.
You can see and hear it on the street in the form
of colour and immediacy. Then again, we also feel
that our Finnish identity and appreciation of our
own culture has grown.
Espoo has undergone a lot of construction
work. In particular, the neighbourhoods of Otaniemi and Leppävaara have changed. In spite of
the growth, I hope that Espoo can retain its smalltown atmosphere and security.
growth alone will no longer save
the City of Espoo. For this reason, we will have to adapt. The
best results are born when we
all – the city administration,
companies and residents – do
our bit and carry our share of
the load. n
The city is preparing for the coming council term by implementing the 'Espoo story' strategy process. Related residents' meetings
and an online survey will begin
in spring.
Sources:
» Glimpses of Espoo - small events that
changed the local history of a city, VTM
Alpo Heiskanen, espoo.fi > Espoo-info >
Tilastot ja tutkimukset > Muut teemat >
Kurkistuksia Espooseen
» Director of research Teuvo Savikko
and housing manager Anne Savolainen,
Espoo
» Otaniemi Marketing Ltd, otaniemi.fi
» The City of Espoo
Raised by the
whole village
President of Espoo Baseball Club, Maila LingmanNukala, 60, does some
remarkable voluntary work.
The 'Raised by the whole
village' idea goes a long way.
"In spring and autumn,
I hold free exercise classes in
Espoo schools. I also take part in
joint responsibility collections and other voluntary jobs.
I first moved to Espoo from Sweden in 1963
and again in 1985 from Canada. At the turn of
the millennium, when my own sons were in year
5 at school, we got together with the other parents in the neighbourhood. That way, it was
harder for the kids to hoodwink us by telling tales
of "but my friends get to..." We minimised the silliest nonsense.
Modern young people are smart in their outward nonchalance and bravely test their own limits. We shouldn't be ashamed of them.
By doing voluntary work, I feel I make a contribution to society. I don't normally give donations, as I can see the real benefit of my actions.
These days, fewer and fewer people volunteer.
They don't have the time. However, it's a question of priorities.
I encourage parents to come along to watch
sports teams' events: time spent playing on the
pitch can give us some of the best memories of
our lives. A few years ago, parents were more
active. We would help boost sports clubs' funds
by holding various jumble sales. When the whole
family got involved, they were able to spend
more time together than just the car journey
to the game. Fortunately you can still find exception. n
ESPOO-magazine » 9
IN THE CENTRE
TIMELINE
photo seppo grönlund / espoon kaupunginmuseo
Plans are
in place
to add a
tunnel to
Kehä I at
Keilaniemi.
1937
Jorvaksentie
completed.
Motorway
1967 and
Länsiväylä
1995.
1962
"Tarvontie"
(or the first
phase of the
Turku road).
Finland's first
motorway.
1980
Kehä I ring
road
joined between Turku
highway and
Vihdintie.
2000
Kehä II
completed,
thus reducing
traffic on
residential
streets.
2003
City line to
Leppävaara.
Extension to
Espoo Centre
by 2017, to
Hista by the
2020s?
2015
Western
metro line to
Matinkylä.
Extension to
Kivenlahti or
Saunalahti by
2018.
2030?
Express
tram
route?
From dirt tracks
to motorway
A hundred years ago, Espoo's
road network was modest and in
a poor state of repair.
Development of the city's roads
began in the 1930s. Through an
employment scheme, the state
started working on Jorvaksentie road and the Helsinki-Turku
highway, which was the first
Finnish road to be surfaced
with asphalt. The construction
of the Turku highway's "little
brother", Turku road, began
in 1956. The grand motorway,
known as "Tarvontie" – which
was also the first of its kind
in Finland – was completed
between Gumböle in Espoo
and Munkkiniemi in Helsinki in
December 1962.
10 « ESPOO-magazine
Work on Kehä III ring road
started in the 1960s. The road
was given the name of "ring
road" in the 1970s when the
construction of the other ring
roads began. Kehä I ring road,
Finland's busiest thoroughfare,
was also under construction
from the 1960s and only completed in stages: between Itäkeskus in Helsinki and Kannelmäki, and between what is now
the western highway and the Turku highway. Kehä I ring road
reached its current length in 1980
when a stretch was built to join
Turku highway and Vihdintie.
Attempts to alleviate the
rush hours of Kehä I, such as
with the Mestarintunneli tunnel in Leppävaara, which was
completed in autumn 2011. The
traffic alleviation project, which
began in 2008, also included
a number of junction, such as
Vermonsolmu, which opened in
2010 as a direct route between
Vermo and Ruukinranta and the
Turku road, thus lightening the
traffic on Kehä I.
The most recent development projects are the tunnels
at Keilaniemi and Hagalund. As
well as in Leppävaara, where a
new lane was added to the ring
road, a tunnel of about half a
kilometre will be built parallel to the Kehä I ring road at
Keilaniemi. A park will be built
on top of the asphalt tunnel.
Construction is due to begin in
2014 and finish in 2019. Plans
for the Hagalund tunnel connecting Tapiola and Otaniemi
are still at an early stage.
Kehä II, which was only
completed in 2000, was already
being planned in the 1960s.
Construction only began in
1996. Kehä II ring road has
functioned as planned, reducing the amount of traffic on residential streets. In terms of lateral traffic, it is important that
the road should be extended to
join up with the Hämeenlinna
motorway or Kehä III ring road.
Railway tracks were laid in
Espoo in 1903, when the coastal
line between Turku and Karjaa
was extended as far as Pasila.
The stations at Kauklahti and
Espoo Centre were the first to
be completed, while the Leppävaara and Grankulla stops
were finished a year later.
More space was given to trains
exactly 100 years later, when a
city line enabling faster travel
times was built from Helsinki to
Leppävaara. Quarrying work on
the long-awaited "Länsimetro"
(western metro line) is underway. By the end of 2015, a journey from Matinkylä to Ruoholahti will take only 16 minutes. n
TEKSTI PEKKA MÄNTYLÄ
Sources:
» Itkonen ym: Kuninkaantie Espoossa
» Ikkala: Kylästä lähiöön
» Tielaitos: Kolmas länsiväylä
» liikennevirasto.fi, lansimetro.fi, espoo.
fi, wikipedia.fi
» Haastattelut: Jouko Vehkakoski ja Salla
Hänninen (Espoon tekninen keskus)
IN THE CENTRE
Life as a professional nursery
school teacher
WHO
Päivi Mariani-Cerati, 56,
works as a kindergarten
teacher for children with
special needs and as a
nursery school teacher
at Kippari nursery in
Espoonlahti.
Who you are is the most important
teaching aid for a teacher. You also
have to be able to listen to the children
and be there for them. Genuinely.
This spring there
will be 3,072 nursery school pupils.
Annually, one nursery school pupil
costs the city
5 156 €.
Nursery-level
textbook
Heureka!
helps children
develop
their ability with
maths.
Books for each
nursery school
child come to €25.
Espoo's nursery schools have
some 122 Finnishlanguage classes.
Nursery education
is also provided in
26 schools around
Espoo.
photo antti vettenranta
Espoo has 11 Swedish-language
nursery schools.
Professional
A nursery school
teacher is an employee of the City
of Espoo. As well
as having completed a degree in
primary teaching,
she has also further trained as a
nursery teacher.
Sources:
» Espoon kaupungin
sivistystoimi,
Tilastokeskus ja
espoo.fi.
"The most challenging
aspect of working with
children is being there and
listening to them. These are
most fundamental things
that affect children's emotional and learning safety.
Caring makes children feel
good about themselves and
the confidence to take on
challenges," says specialneeds nursery teacher Päivi
Mariani-Cerati.
Ms. Mariani-Cerati works
at Kippari nursery with a
group of 12 children, half of
whom require special sup-
port to grow and learn. Next
autumn, their three-year
journey together will come
to an end when eight of the
children in the group will
move up to school. Thanks
to the small group size, the
children have been able to
better improve their skills
and prepare for school,
based on their own individual needs.
Daily life of a nursery
school has changed in the
34 years that Mariani-Cerati
has worked in the field.
Today, children's develop-
ment is keenly monitored
and children's readiness for
school is closely evaluated.
Although the activity is extremely goal-oriented, the
children are still taught in a
playful environment. Time is
also allotted for free play.
Who you are is the most
important teaching aid for
a nursery teacher. In practice, the average workday
might include a fishing trip,
a cooking club, arranging a
wall display, bees, a trip to
the woods or helping the
children with maths prob-
lems. We also try to involve
the children in the planning
of activities.
"In this job, you see a lot
of joys and successes with
the children. For example,
we have one child in our
group who didn't say anything for a year. It was a
beautiful moment when he
spoke for the first time.
The challenges in the
job are often daily, such as
looking for a lost sock or
drying out clothes.
"Children keep you upto-date. In this job you stay
young, as you get to sing
and play, but the noise can
sometimes be pretty loud.
When I get home after a day
at work, I really appreciate
silence.
In her free time, MarianiCerati goes to her summer cottage in the countryside. Outside of work,
she also practices skeet
shooting, which has been
a keen hobby of hers since
her youth. That also requires a good level of fitness,
concentration and a good
night's rest.n
ESPOO-magazine » 11
text annakaisa vääräniemi, photo antti vettenranta
THE PEARL OF ESPOO
Espoo's
Central Park
12 « ESPOO-magazine
Where is it? Welcome to
Espoo's parade ground! New
York has Central Park – the City
of Espoo also has its own central park: 880 hectares of leisure parkland in the middle of
the city.
Who is it for? Some 27,000
residents of Espoo live close
by Central Park. They have an
urban, diverse city parkland
right on their doorsteps, which,
in winter, is one of the metropolitan area's busiest skiing circuits.
What's going on? All year,
Espoo's Central Park is celebrating its World Design Capital
2012 status with the "Rosette"
project. The name refers to the
shape of the South Espoo parkland.
O
ETSOOKAMLEJHO
T
J
H
J
A
O
K
H
More information
espoo.fi > Liikunta ja ulkoilu
espoo.fi > Ympäristö
Espoo Central Park skiing conditions:
mski.fi/espoo
OHJELMAKOOSTE
ESPOO-magazine » 13
O
O
Come up with a name for
the nature trail that is due to
open in autumn in Suna. Entries to be sent in by 15 April to
Espoo Environment Centre, PL
44, 02070 CITY OF ESPOO or
[email protected].
E
S
KE
OL
O
M
T
Try this! There is a fantastic
4.3 km skiing track that starts
at Puolarmaari Akilles. The
ski lodge is open at weekends
during the skiing season.
L
S
TA
1 UVIS
E
SIVU 1
M
M
L
A
E
E
,OOPSE ,IKNISLEH FO SEITIC
I T H A L DN A N ENI A INUA K , A AT N AV
,OOPSE ,IKNISLEH FO SEITIC
What's coming up? Next summer, Central Park will host
nature walks that are open
to everyone and voluntary
mowing sessions. The park has
been given new signs for the
entrance gates. Its own website
is under construction.
SIVU 1
S
E
O
J
O
K
H
THE PEARL OF ESPOO
photo tikau
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Klaus Haapaniemi designed
a rug for Tikau,
which Indian craftsmen can produce
and sell.
Improving the world
through design
and
globalisation. Urbanisation.
These are the core themes of
the Responsible design theme
year exhibitions. For visitors,
the themes are introduced
through concrete stories. The
whole event also includes a
great many workshops for
school children and young
families. The first three stories about urbanisation in the
exhibition take the viewer to
three different locations and
projects:
Social responsibility
1. The Namibian capital, Windhoek. Young people growing up in the wake of apart-
14 « ESPOO-magazine
heid tell about their lives in
self-made videos. Video artist Taino Kontio showed the
youths how to produce the
videos themselves, which was
a completely new thing for
some of them. In two other
workshops, a blog and material for the Katutura College of
Arts website was produced.
designers of the next few
decades will rise from these
environments."
2. India's Tikau Share ry, where
jobs are being created out in
the countryside. According to
Helinä Rautavaara's museum
director, Maria Koskijoki,
changing, modern and urban
third-world youths are the
future of design. "The great
Helinä Rautavaara's museum:
n Three tales of urbanisation 28
March–19 August 2012
n Recycling world champions – learning centre for Cairo's Zabbaleen
community 26 September 2012–6
January 2013
capital,
Dakar. An animation video
made by Dakar's youths tells
about Shakaal, who is trying
to reach Europe by boat as refugee. n text Mikaela Katro
3. The Senegalese
» helinamuseo.fi
» tikaushare.org
Tikau Share ry
creates employment in the countryside so that people
do not have to move
to the cities and into
poor living conditions.
AROUND
Fall in love
with beetroot
photo antti vettenranta
Cheesy beet steaks
5 beetroots
approx. 0.5 dl plain flour
a pinch of salt and black pepper
1 egg
75g ground hazelnuts
goat cheese (Sainte Maure)
(honey)
1» Cook the beetroots whole until tender. Cool them down in
cold water. 2» Peel and chop the beetroots in approx. 1 cm
thick slices. 3» Pour the flour onto a plate and season with
salt and pepper. 4» Lightly beat the egg on another plate
and pour the ground hazelnuts onto a third place. 5» Place
the beetroot slices first in the flour, then dip them in the
egg and finally in the hazelnuts. Place them on a tray with
greaseproof paper. 6» Bake in an oven at 225 C for 10–15
minutes until they start to colour on the outside. 7» Place
a thin slice of goat's cheese onto each steak and grill them
further until the cheese is warmed through. 8» If you have a
sweet tooth, drizzle some honey over the finished steaks. 9»
You can also try other root vegetables, such as parsnips.
The City of Espoo's adult education institute is organising 92 different cookery courses this
spring. You can find information about the spring courses at espoo.fi/tyovaenopisto. You can find
out about available course places by calling 09 8165 0000 or check out the Espoo adult education institute's website.
Inspiration!
kuva Kalle Pyyhtinen
The City of Espoo's adult education institute's home economics teacher Auli Korhonen's
beetsteaks are full of the flavours of beetroot, goat cheese
and hazelnut.
guest columnist:
veera laitinen
For some reason, I get my best ideas during
winter. Like during the last skiing holiday
in Ruka as I was skiing down a hill. My dad
began to get a little frustrated as his girl was
constantly digging in her pockets for her notepad and pen. "So you couldn't find a better
place to do your writing?" dad sighed, time
after time. But what girl can help it when she
gets a good idea! My notepad is as good as
glued to my hand. For me, a skiing holiday is
more than just slaloming down hills, crosscountry skiing and hot cocoa.
And then come summer I can't think of
anything any more. It is then that I put all of
my writing, painting and sketching on hold,
no matter how much I'd love to get on with
them.
Some people are inspired by music or
dreams, others by nature or perhaps films.
Sometimes I think that I'm a little strange or
twisted, because I don't have any particular
thing that gives me ideas. This is especially
true for writing. I certainly get ideas for my
paintings from films, books, emotional states
– and nightmares. I like to mix garish colours
together. Just as if I were experiencing a nightmare again but, thank god, in the light of day.
Writing, however, is more difficult. The
plot, characters and setting of a story are
such a complex thing that it sometimes really
annoys me. Because my ideas of often completely fragmented, random sketches that are in
no way connected to one another, it takes very
little brainwork to create a decent story in full.
Stranger still is that I most often get inspiration for my writing when I'm literally thinking of nothing at all. Needless to say, it's
sometimes really annoying when I'm just falling asleep and then suddenly I'll leap out of
bed to rummage around in a semiconscious
state looking for a notebook in my drawers.
The dog lying asleep on the floor alongside me
starts at the sudden outburst and barks the
whole family awake. That's why I now keep a
notepad and pen right next to my bed.
A few months ago, I browsed through my
old maths textbooks. I couldn't help but laugh
when I realised that the back pages were
full of all sorts of scrawlings. I was even
more amused when I realised that they were
all ideas that I'd had during maths classes.
Why was I struck by inspiration in maths class
of all places? Why not in Finnish or PE classes? n
Born in 1997, the writer is a young novelist from Mankkaa whose debut novel "Surunsyöjät" (The Sorrow
Eaters) was published last autumn.
ESPOO-magazine » 15
ON THE RING
text Helen Moster, photos Antti Vettenranta
Come inside!
Are you without work but dream of having a job or a study course? The door to
the Job training centre is always open.
Robert Loman is an
instructor in the bike workshop.
16 « ESPOO-magazine
At first glance, Espoo's job
training centre (työhönvalmennuskeskus: TVK) looks peaceful. In the lobby there are two
workmen fixing a few holes in
the walls. There is a homely
and friendly atmosphere to the
place. When I later leave the
same building in Suomenoja,
my impression is only stronger.
The bustle of Niittyrinne 5
is hidden in the various workshops around the building.
In these workshops, bikes are
fixed, chairs are upholstered
and linen is washed. The products of from these workshops
are displayed all around, even in
the director's office.
The calm of the place actually stems from the fact the
there are a lot of empty places
in the workshops. There could
be a lot more workers. This
upsets the centre's work director Reima Kapanen – and with
good reason. Kapanen would be
able to offer an excellent waypoint for Espoo residents who
are unemployed or stuck in the
wilderness between jobs, especially young adults and immigrants, but information about
the scheme has not reached far
enough. Kapanen thinks that
Espoo has far too many young
people without direction. Many
of them would find a great
ON THE RING
Youth unemployment
taken in hand
Espoo's job training centre provides training in preparation for work
life in almost 10 different workshops, which cover courier delivery,
laundry work and handyman work.
The city's own property is repaired
in the workshops, such as bikes and
furniture, but not people's private
property. In the near future, the
workshop concept will be extended
to old people's care.
In 2011, almost 200 people worked in the TVK workshops. One in
three was able to find a study or
work place after their sojourn in
the workshops. The workshops are
intended for residents of Espoo
and Kauniainen aged 17-55 years
old, who, for various reasons,
have dropped out of the job market. People can apply to the TE
office or through the Espoo Employment Service Centre (ETYP). The
quickest way to be accepted as a
client is by popping along in person.
TVK organises open days every
other week (even numbered weeks)
on Mondays 9-10 am. The address is
Niittyrinne 5, Espoo.
» espoo.fi/työhönvalmennuskeskus
jump-off point at Niittyrinne
for a more secure future.
In 2011, there were almost
200 employees – or as they are
referred to at TVK – clients.
On average, the stay on TVK's
books for two years. During
that time, they learn about the
necessary skills for life at work:
teamwork, communication
skills and perseverance. They
also learn about occupational
safety issues. They can get their
hot work permit and learn how
to use the card required for activating access control devices.
Although the activities are
quite disparate, one thing
unites all of the workers: the
desire and ability to work.
workshop, they
work in two shifts. A group
of 20 people takes care of the
laundry from 200 Espoo nurseries. The laundry workshop
is governed by a strict system.
They also have to correctly
fold everything and remember
which laundry goes to which
nursery.
At the laundry
TVK and nursery schools
have also agreed on delivery
of the laundry. This way, the
drivers from the courier workshop take the clean laundry
back to the nurseries. In a big
city, the kilometres soon add
up. The delivery route stretches
from Otaniemi to Kalajärvi.
From the pressed laundry
pile, on we go to the recycling
workshop. There, various items
and furniture requiring minor
repairs are brought from all
around the City of Espoo, from
museums, sports centres and
schools. After a little finetuning, the furniture is usually
sent on to new homes.
In the middle of the floor,
Henry Siren is working with a
screwdriver. He is fitting together a child's bed. The 22-yearold "Henkka" has been at Niittyrinne since last august. His
term runs until the beginning
of the year. He is interested
in everything related to unloading, fixing and storage. He
hopes to find something in the
field for the future. "I'd like to
work at the Inex warehouse in
Kilo," says Henkka. He will get
help from TVK when applying
for work.
TVK can also provide support
in organising everyday life.
Every worker's situation can be
sorted out through discussion,
which are attended by experts
as well as the social director,
director and job coach. We
want to take measures to avoid
disruption to life in the workshop.
The youngsters have responded well to the service.
The situation of one young
man, when he started working
in the bike workshop, looked
particularly bleak but, at Niittyrinne, he made new social
connections and found that his
skill with bikes could also be
applied elsewhere. Today, that
young man works at a school
as a personal assistant.
In the bike workshop, tidiness
is king. The workshop is clean.
Every single tyre and wheel is
hanging in its own place. Two
workers and instructor Robert
Loman are at work in the
workshop. Robert is inspecting
a Kildemoes child's bike that is
undergoing repairs. It can still
be salvaged, as is often the case
with many of Espoo's other
rejects. After repairs, the shipshape bakes are sent to places
such as nursery schools and
low-income families.
Robert knows the bike
workshop like the back of his
hand. He first started there as
a client and later became an
instructor. "I now have greater
responsibility," he smiles. Next
summer his post as instructor
will end and he has a search
for a new job from the open job
market ahead of him.
At TVK, there is a constant
turnover of people, as there
should be. When a sojourn at
Niittyrinne is finished, then it
is time for the next stage. For
many, that means a study or
work place and, at the same
time, a step towards a brighter
future. n
ESPOO-magazine » 17
ON THE MOVE
text Lilli Ollikainen, photos a-lehtien arkisto
In 2012, Espoo will have
A whole week as an
active senior
senior citizens, who will
reach 68 within the year.
If you are over 68-years-old, remember to
apply for your Sports Card which entitles
you to free leisure activities!
2 000
City mayor Jukka Mäkelä sent a card of
congratulations to all of them in January,
telling them of the free activities available with the 68+ Sports Card.
Instructed exercise
is good for you
The quality of leisure activities organised
photo teemu pasanen
by the city's leisure services was gauged with
a customer satisfaction survey in October
2011. There were 1,976 responses. Satisfaction
with instructed exercise at given an average
rating of 4.59 (on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being
the highest score). n espoo.fi/ohjattuliikunta
espoo.fi/ohjattuliikunta > Seniorit > 68+ Sporttikortti
TO THE GYM!
IN OLARI
Sports Club 68+ meet at the gym
at Olari swimming pool every Monday
11.30am-1pm. Information about another nine Sports Clubs can be found at
espoo.fi. People of limited mobility particularly benefit from gym exercise at
Espoonlahti swimming pool which is
fitted with smart-card HUR gym equipment. espoo.fi/ohjattuliikunta
WEDNESDAY DANCING
IN TAPIOLA
MA
MA
MATI
TI
TKI E
KE
KE
TO
Espoo's cultural centre (Kaupin-
LOVING IT
Skiing to the top
How did Laaksolahti girl Laura Holopainen, 18, become a skiier?
"My parents have always taken us kids to
practice sport. As a five-year-old, I took part
in a skiing competition and, excited by the
experience, I wanted to join a skiing class."
Laura represents Espoo's ski club and is a
member of the illustrious Teme Ski Team.
"Daily training is just a way of life. In summer, I roller-ski over the hilly roads of Siikajärvi and Solvalla. During winter, I mostly ski
cross-country across Leppävaara.
Her best achievement has been coming
6th at the Finnish youth championships.
"My short-term goal is a medal at the
nationals and what sportsman wouldn't
dream of winning Olympic gold!" n
temeskiteam.com
espoohiihtoseura.fi
18 « ESPOO-magazine
kalliontie 10) hosts dances to lively
music, on 22 February, 14 March, 11
April, beginning at 2pm. Entry €3.
Organised by the Espoo war veterans
band and the women's institute.
TO CENTRAL PARK
IN SIVAKOIMA
Espoo has 200 km of skiing tracks,
of which 60 km are illuminated from
6 am to 10 pm. Skiing maps can be
found at general service points and
leisure facilities. Skiing tracks are primarily maintained in Oittaa, Leppävaara and Central Park. Skiing track
info tel. 09 816 52135. For up-to-date
information, see mski.fi.
MA
MA
MA
MTA
I
TI
TKIE
KE
KE
TO
TO
TOPE
PE
PELA
LA
LA
TO OITTAA
FOR SNOW SHOEING
TI
PE
KE
LA
Oittaa outdoor centre (Kunnarlantie
33–39) holds Beginners' snow-shoeing
courses on Sundays 1.30pm-3.30pm.
Pensioners get in at the members' price.
For information, call 044 7226 329.
SU
TO
TO
TO
PE
PE
PLEA
LA
LA
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SKATING
AT THE REEBOK ARENA
The Reebok Arena in Leppävaara
has a skating session for seniors on
Tuesdays 11am-12pm. The sessions
continue until 30 March and are free.
espoo.fi/liikuntapaikat > Jäähallit >
Yleisöluisteluajat jäähalleissa
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AQUA AEROBICS
IN LEPPÄVAARA
Leppävaara swimming pool holds aqua
aerobics session on Thursdays 9–9.30
am and 5-5.30 pm Tickets are sold at
the reception 1 hour before class begins.
Price €2 + swimming pool fee; 68+ Sports
Card holders go free. espoo.fi/ohjattuliikunta > Kurssitarjonta, ilmoittautumiset ja maksut > Leppävaara
DANCE CLASSES
IN OLARI
The Adult education institute organises American round dance classes
(nro 120425). In Olari 24-25 March 10
am-2.15pm. This challenging dance
style is danced in pairs. Weekend
course €23. Call tel. 09 816 50000
from 12pm or ilmonet.fi.
photo Carol Friedman
IN SIGHT
Compiled by Katarina Cygnel-Nuortie
Patti Austin & Espoo Big Band and
the Jukka Eskola Quintet w/Strings
Wed. 25 April 7pm. Patti Austin &
Espoo Big Band and support act TBA
Thurs. 26 April 7 pm.
Events
calendar
Sun 19 February 12pm and
2pm at Talomuseo Glims.
Shrove Sunday: Long-growing
flax! a guide to Shrovetide traditions. Tues. 21 February shrove
sledging.
Tues. 13 March 7pm Sellosali.
Divaldo Alfa Theatre: James
Blond. In the true spirit of spoof,
this is a puppet-theatre show
aimed at young people and
adults alike, with a tongue-incheek take on the James Bond
films. Show performed in English. Tickets €8 from Lippupalvelu.
Wed. 9 May, Thurs. 10 May and
Fri. 11 May. 7 pm Louhisali.
Cadavre Exquis. Four theatre
companies from the Netherlands, the US and the UK together present a show in which
each company by improvising
on the previous section's final
scene. Show performed in English. Tickets €29/25/15.
Reconstruction
heroes
City of
Jazz
Espoo
The metropolitan area's biggest
jazz festival, April Jazz, will
take place for the 26th year on
25-29 April. During the festival,
the Tapiola Garden hotel will
host a jazz jam each night at 10
pm. The jams will be compered by Finnish jazz bands and,
with some luck, you may get
to jam with a big international star. Espoo music college's
pop/jazz line, Ebel, line manager Mirja Mäkelä will not miss
this occasion, nor any other
great April Jazz performances. "Perhaps the best thing is
still the general atmosphere,
when jazz fills the whole of the
centre of Tapiola in the spring
Fri. 27 April 1 pm Barona
Areena. A grand celebration on
national veterans' day. YLE will
transmit the celebration live on
TV. All residents of Espoo are
welcome. Free tickets available
from general service points in
April.
air," she says.
Jazz in Espoo also has a lot
more to offer. "Above Hemingways at Heikintori, there are
monthly jazz jams. The club
atmosphere of Café Louhe
really gets pumping with jazz
performances. Also, the lively
atmosphere of Ebel and other
Espoo music colleges that
teach jazz," lists Mirja Mäkelä.
People of different ages can
find their own favourites from
a diverse jazz line-up. Many
older folk love swing, while
youngsters enjoy jazz that
incorporates elements of other
musical styles. Middle-aged
folk love both!
3 x Espoo & jazz
Paula Koivuniemi and the
Espoo Big Band: A grown-up
woman Thurs. 8 March 7.30 pm
Tapiolasali. Tickets €35 from
Lippupalvelu*.
n The Northern Governors
Sat 31 March 7 pm. Café Louhi.
Tickets €18/12* from Lippupiste. northerngovernors.com
n April Jazz 25–29 April
2012. Headline acts: Patti
Austin, Jan Garbarek, Avishai
Cohen and the Afro-Cuban All
Stars. Espoo cultural centre,
cultural square jazz tent and
Kino Tapiola. Further information about the programme and
tickets apriljazz.fi
n
Thurs. 26-27 April 2012 from
the Barona Areena. Come and
see the armed forces' fishing
display.
Thurs. 26 April WeeGee. Opening of an exhibition telling about
the veterans of past Finland's
wars.
» kansallinenveteraanipaiva.fi
All events in Espoo:
espoo.fi/karatalo
espoo.fi/kulttuurikeskus
espoo.fi/pikkuaurora
espoo.fi/tyovaenopisto
www.espoonkaupunginmuseo.fi
espoonteatteri.fi
tapiolasinfonietta.fi/konsertit
www.weegee.fi
ESPOO-magazine » 19
» espoo.fi
See what great
things are going
on in your city.
NEWS
Espoo on Facebook
Become a fan of Espoo
and stay up to date with
the latest news.
facebook.com/
espoonkaupunki
Activities during the
winter holiday
All under-18-year-olds can
swim for free 20-21 February at Espoo's swimming
pools.
espoo.fi/liikunta
SERVICES
Espoo on Twitter
Follow Espoo's news.
twitter.com/EspooEsbo
ACCOMMODATION
Rental housing
New rental apartments
are due for completion
in the spring.
espoonkruunu.fi
LEISURE
Rent your child some
skates!
You can rent skates from
library vans. Figure skating and ice hockey skates
are available for rental in
sizes 27-33. You can find
out opening times from the
library system. helmet.fi
Public skating timetables
espoo.fi/liikunta
Natural snow shoes and
skiing tracks
mskate.fi, mski.fi/espoo
General service points
Information, advice and
guidance about the city's
services. You can contact us
by phone tel. 09 8165 7070
or check online to see what
services are offered by the
general service points. Or
just come on down! espoo.
fi/yhteispalvelu
Wellbeing market place
WDC Espoo
Try out exercise equipment
and games that are also
suitable for old folk. At Tapiola health centre from 28
February Tues., Wed., Thurs.
8.30 am-3.30 pm.
Public lecture on happiness 29 March 5pm-8pm,
Espoo cultural centre, Tapiolasali. Underway is a photography competition on
Ageing well and a collection
of Happiness is... aphorisms.
espoo.fi/hyvinvointi
Friendship circle
Are you looking for friends?
We're looking for older people to join our Friendship
circles; people who feel
lonely and want more company in their lives. Groups
are led by trained Friendship circle instructors.
Contact us Mon.-Thurs.
10am-3pm, seniors counselling tel. 09 816 30265 or
[email protected].
A blood donation centre
for Espoo residents
SPR have opened a blood
service office in Matinkylä, where you can donate
blood daily 11am-6pm. The
office is on the second floor
of the Iso Omena shopping
centre, Piispansilta 9. www.
veripalvelu.fi
EVENTS
Karatalo celebrates its
25th anniversary.
espoo.fi/karatalo
Culture clinic activities
espoo.fi/kulttuuri > erityisryhmille
School cinema
Programme espoo.fi/
elokuva
Winter break activities for
school children
Programme 20-24 April 10
am-2 pm.
espoo.fi/villaelfvik
Wintertime family fun
At nature house Villa
Elfviikki Sun 26 February
11am-1pm.
espoo.fi/villaelfvik
Nature pictures of the
year 2011 exhibition until
26 February
espoo.fi/villaelfvik
Come and have fun at
WeeGee
The exhibition centre's five
museums are open Tues,
Thurs-Fri 11am-6pm, Wed
11am-8pm (6-8pm free
entry), Sat-Sun 11am-5pm
Info tel. 09 8163 1818.
weegee.fi
decisions
Council meeting
Mon 27 February, 19 March
and 23 April. 5.30 pm
at City Council House,
Espoonkatu 5. Council
meetings are open to the
public. You can also follow
the meeting in a live webcast at espoo.fi/paatos
City notice board
At the Espoo City registry
office, Entresse shopping
centre, Siltakatu 11, Espoo
Centre.
espoo.fi/kuulutukset