The decision-makers unleashed their creativity when considering at the council seminar how to increase the attractiveness of Lahti.
Lahti’s downtown vision took a real leap forward, when councilors from Lahti were able to freely come up with ideas for future Lahti at the council seminar in Tallinn.
During the two-day seminar, the councilors got to know the environmental solutions of Tallinn, which is celebrating its European Environmental Capital year, and the new district, Noblessner.
Noblessner is an old submarine dock area with new residential buildings, a sauna world, cafes and inspiring things to do right by the sea.
On the first day of the seminar, the councilors familiarized themselves with Lahti’s deteriorating economic situation. The good development of the city and the revitalization efforts that are gaining momentum do not want to be interrupted by blunt cuts, therefore the councilors are required to be resourceful in increasing income.
Tax revenues will not increase if there are no new residents. On the other hand, new residents will not come if the city is not attractive.
At the beginning of the working group, the councilors heard greetings from the students of the Design Institute of the LAB University of Applied Sciences. From the campus, the center seems far away.
The councilors were free to come up with ideas in working groups, what urban culture should be in the center and what to do in the center’s core, the market square.
The groups expressed the wish that the center would also have space for non-commercial activities, i.e. places where you don’t have to buy anything, but where you can still have a good time. In the opinion of the councilors, something should be done about Toripark’s above-ground entrance blocks, and an extension or a covered space on the side of the market was thought of for Kauppahalli. The ceremony axis from Ristinkirke to the town hall was also wanted to be more visible.
The wildest ideas were related to the wish that greenery would be more visible in the center of the environmental city. One group suggested digging a canal from Lake Vesijärvi to the center. In winter, an ice track would run in the canal.
The need for a hotel came up strongly. There was a message from the office holders that various event operators consider the lack of hotel capacity to be Lahti’s weakness. The best location for hotels would be near the market. In the visions of the commissioners, the hotel could be built on Alator.
– I hope that the same discussion will continue in Lahti with as much vision and courage as here, hopes Harmaala.
– It would be good to think about what the market’s function will be in the future. What solutions could we make to make the market more alive than it is now, Sorsa ponders.
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