Design of Varuskunnanaukio Square in Hyrylä Regiment Park, initiative

Jussi Salonen presented the following initiative on behalf of the Tuusulan puolesta ry council group: 

The municipality of Tuusula must immediately begin planning the Varuskunnanaukio square in Hyrylä’s Rykmentinpuisto park. Sufficient resources must be allocated to this task in terms of personnel, expertise and funding.

The municipality of Tuusula must comply with its previous decisions, which state the need to amend the local detailed plan and to investigate this matter. At the same time, changes to the local detailed plan must be initiated if the functionality of Varuskunnanaukio, the expansion of the swimming hall with its outdoor facilities and recreation areas so require.

The centre of Hyrylä is undergoing major changes. Buildings are being demolished and new ones constructed. The character of Hyrylä is changing. The former market square is now just a memory, and there are currently no plans to design a new market square or similar event and recreation area. (Email from Municipal Planning Manager Asko Honkanen on 20 September 2023 in response to an enquiry).
 In order to
promote the well-being of municipal residents and the attractiveness of Hyrylä, a new type of outdoor swimming pool, a “village oasis”, should be built in connection with the indoor swimming pool, and the lawn area should be turned into an event and city park for the residents of Tuusula. Over the years, the factors that make city centres attractive have changed. Free park and event areas in city centres have become increasingly important. Good examples of this are Rantapuisto in Järvenpää and Esplanadi in Helsinki.  

Justification: A council initiative
on this matter was previously submitted on 5 September 2017: Construction of an outdoor swimming pool/outdoor pool in connection with the Tuusula swimming hall (SDP council group).

The response to the initiative approved by the Council on 4 June 2018 states:

The swimming pool is located in the area covered by the Rykmentinpuisto local detailed plan and local detailed plan amendment approved by the City Council on 8 May 2017. The plan is legally valid. Prior to this, a draft local detailed plan was drawn up for a larger area, and both plans include illustrations of the swimming pool extension and outdoor pool. In the legally valid plan, the block and extension are smaller than in the draft. The need to change the block area must also be carefully examined in terms of the construction of an outdoor swimming pool when the expansion of the swimming hall becomes relevant.  

A council initiative was made on 12 November 2018, §138: “Accelerating the construction of an outdoor swimming pool in connection with the Tuusula swimming hall” (responsible right-wing politician Sanna Kervinen).  

The Culture and Leisure Committee responded to the initiative at its meeting on 28 March 2019.  

The response to the initiative was discussed by the municipal executive board on 22 February 2021, but was not decided upon at that time. More than two and a half years later, the initiative has still not been brought back before the municipal executive board and, through it, the municipal council.    

Furthermore, the Culture and Leisure Committee on 28 March 2019:

“The Culture and Leisure Committee discussed the feasibility study for an outdoor swimming pool at its meeting on 3 September 2020, and the Municipal Development Committee discussed it at its meeting on 16 September 2020. As the local detailed plan for the swimming pool area does not support all the options presented in the study, the Municipal Development Committee obliged the operating area to investigate changes to the local detailed plan in its decision. The aim of the change to the local detailed plan is to enable the implementation of the options presented in the outdoor swimming pool study. Based on
the decision, further work was initiated to examine in more detail the options and impacts on the local detailed plan that were identified in the needs assessment.
 
The Technical Committee discussed the renovation of the swimming pool at its meeting on 18 April 2023, and the Municipal Executive Board discussed it at its meeting on 8 May 2023.

On 29 May 2023, the council made an appropriation change in connection with the interim report: “It is proposed that EUR 200,000 earmarked for the renovation of the swimming pool’s cashier area and lobby be transferred to the planning of the swimming pool’s renovation. Based on a condition survey of the swimming pool, it has been determined that the renovation of the swimming pool should be carried out during 2024.”

In Tuusula on Monday, 9 October 2023
Tuusulan puolesta ry council group

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