ESPOO MAGAZINE 2/2017

A MAGAZINE FOR ESPOO RESIDENTS
2
2017
WATERFRONT WALKWAY –
FROM CULTURE TO BUSINESS
EXERCISE AND SPORTS
GROUPS KICK OFF AGAIN
ESPOO DAY TAKES OVER
AN ENTIRE WEEKEND
New learning methods bring
MORE DIVERSE
LIFE SKILLSPAGE 8

MY ESPOO
TIMO PORTHAN
FROM YARD TO TABLE
LAST SUMMER, the vegetable patch of Yläkartano
day care centre looked like Cinderella’s pumpkin
coach had turned from fairytale into reality. Instead
of magic, the giant pumpkins and the sunflowers
surrounding them were planted by the day care centre.
Families and the centre’s personnel tended to
the vegetable patch in July when the day care centre
was closed.
“Parents got pumpkin cake. The children learn
about the circulation of food when we plant edible
plants,” says Leena Häkkinen, Day Care Centre
Teacher.
Yläkartano day care centre is part of Espoo’s outdoor
maintenance’s School vegetable patch movement
with which the city started to establish vegetable
patches in schools and at day care centres
in Espoo. This spring, the outdoor maintenance
unit delivered a total of 100 farming boxes
with soil to approximately 20 vegetable patches,
and the goal is to introduce a vegetable patch into
all schools and day care centres in Espoo.
The children of Yläkartano day care centre stride
around the vegetable patch, planting tomato seedlings
and watering apple trees, berry bushes and
tulips.
“The flowers sway nicely in the wind,” says Hugo (5)
as he takes a nettle he has weeded to the compost.
“I like to drop seeds in the soil,” says Saara (6) as
she continues planting a carrot.
PIRITTA PORTHAN
Children’s own
vegetable patch. Robin
(left) (7), Rianna (4),
Saara (6), Klaiden (7)
and Hugo (5). Day Care
Centre Teacher Leena
Häkkinen guides the
little green fingers.
THIS SPRING,
A VEGETABLE
PATCH WAS STARTED
IN A TOTAL OF 27
DAY CARE CENTRES
AND SCHOOLS.
2

CONTENTS
A MAGAZINE FOR ESPOO RESIDENTS
2
2017
7For Lennart Pettersson, the
sea is everything. Now he
works with the development of
the Waterfront Walkway that
follows the seaside.
8
The second school year according to the new
curriculum has started. Traditional teaching methods
and environment have stepped aside to make way for
models coaching students for the life of the future.
THE
TRADITIONAL
SEASIDE MARATHON
WILL BE RUN
ON 16–17
SEPTEMBER.
2 MY ESPOO › Children’s own vegetable patches
4 EDITORIAL › Jukka Mäkelä
5 IN BRIEF › Artificial intelligence to monitor health data
7 AT YOUR SERVICE ›Host of the Waterfront Walkway
8 THEME › Studying according to the new model
12 ACTIVE ESPOO › An autumn full of events
15 INSIGHT › Help for young people’s problems from one service point
16 PEARL › The beautiful island of Pentala
18 SERVICE › Espoo Day takes over the city
22 TAKE A BREAK › Espoo crossword
23 THE PEOPLE OF ESPOO › Orchestra turning thirty
6
16
23
ESPOO MAGAZINE 2/2017 >> 3

EDITORIAL
Together we can do it!
ESPOO DAY WILL BE CELEBRATED on the last weekend of August
from Friday to Sunday. The active people of Espoo have so
far signed up more than two hundred events that are free of
charge and open to all. What an accomplishment!
This time, the event weekend is of exceptional significance
as the actual Espoo Day on 27 August marks one hundred
days until Finland turns 100 years old. Like our own urban
celebration, the Together theme brings people together
throughout the entire country.
Together is an excellent theme. At least in Espoo, we best
succeed when we can also commit the people of Espoo. I
believe this applies everywhere else, too.
In addition to celebrations, we need unanimity and
excitement to improve the smoothness of everyday life.
For instance, in the central social welfare and
healthcare services, we best prepare for the service reform
by developing our own operations so that the people of
Espoo get the services they need fast and get good experiences.
Simultaneously, we ensure that the services are of high quality
and operational methods are cost-efficient.
I wish everyone welcome to participate in the celebrations
and develop the city together!
EVERYONE
WELCOME TO
PARTICIPATE IN
THE CELEBRATIONS
AND DEVELOP THE
CITY TOGETHER!
Jukka Mäkelä, Mayor of Espoo
Updates from different
parts of the city and
pages dedicated to
various operators.
”
The Luukki forest is
great for mushroom
foraging and easy to
move around in.
Always up to date.
Information, answers
and discussion.
”#UPEA17 arrives in
Espoo! Artez from
Serbia paints a mural in
Matinkylä.
Great moments, events
and landscapes through
the eyes of Espoo
residents.
”
Pyry the robotic seal is
visiting Glims, libraries and
service houses. Available
for petting on Espoo Day.
MAGAZINE FOR ESPOO RESIDENTS Public bulletin to all households FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS espoolehti@omnipress.fi
PUBLISHER City of Espoo, PO Box 12, 02070 City of Espoo, tel. 09 81 621, espoo.fi, firstname.lastname@espoo.fi
EDITOR IN CHIEF Satu Tyry-Salo, Communications director EDITORS Omnipress Oy, espoolehti@omnipress.fi
MANAGING EDITOR Kimmo Kallonen LAYOUT Hannu Kavasto/Hank PRINTED BY Punamusta DISTRIBUTION SSM
NOTIFICATIONS jakelupalaute@omnipress.fi COVER Fleur Wilson ISSN 1798-8446 Next issue 25.11.2017
4

COLLECTINGS
PILOT PROJECT | SMOOTHER TRANSPORT FOR HOME CARE
AT THE BEGINNING of June, home
care in Espoo started a pilot project
in which home care employees travel
to their customer appointments using
bicycles, shared rides, on foot or with
vans that have mobile offices inside
them instead of personal cars.
The purpose of the pilot project is
to make the relocations from one customer
to another more fluent. Half
of the employees who participated in
the first stage of the pilot project were
willing to continue to the second stage
of the pilot. The plan is to test the new
procedures throughout the seasons.
The pilot project is part of Mobility
as a Service joint project by Tekes – the
Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation
and the Ministry of Transport and
Communications.
800,000
ANNUAL VISITS
At the beginning of June, home care in Espoo
started a pilot project in which home care
employees travel to their customer appointments
using bicycles, shared rides, on foot
or with vans that have mobile offices inside
them instead of personal cars.
ESPOO AS AN INTERNATIONAL
ROLE MODEL OF CULTURE
THE WEST METRO STARTS OPERATING
AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER
“COACHING
IN EUROPE IS
IMAGE WORK
THAT BENEFITS
ESPOO.”
ESPOO’S CULTURAL Director Susanna Tommila has coached
European cities as part of a cultural project funded by the European
Commission. The target cities were Chemnitz in Germany,
Lublin in Poland and Kalamata in Greece. Tommila says
that despite the different backgrounds, the cities share similar
challenges.
“These cities needed help in creating a cultural
strategy, new thinking and visioning
for the future for developing
new cultural services.”
The KulttuuriEspoo 2030
programme created by the City
of Espoo has especially raised the
city’s profile as an expert on culture.
According to the programme, culture
and arts help to tackle the challenges
related to the city’s future. Culture can
be included in construction, social services and early childhood
education, it’s not a separate part of the city.
“Coaching in Europe is image work that benefits Espoo. We
export our expertise and learn to understand other countries’
ways of working,” says Tommila.
THE ENTIRE
NEW SECTION IS
UNDERGROUND.
ACCORDING TO current estimates, the West
Metro will open to passenger traffic at the
end of September.
“Länsimetro Oy will hand over control of
the project to Helsinki City Transport
HKL at the turn of August and September.
Helsinki City Transport has
for their part announced that the
metro will start operating at the
earliest four weeks from the handover,
if there are no surprises. This
means the West Metro could be open
to passengers by the end of September,”
says Ville Saksi, CEO at Länsimetro Oy.
The West Metro expands the metro route
THE WEST METRO IN NUMBERS:
by 14 kilometres and eight stations from Ruoholahti
to Matinkylä. The entire new section is
underground.
This will also affect bus routes. It is estimated
that the feeder bus lines will become
operational at the earliest in mid-October. The
bus route reform means that bus lines running
along Länsiväylä to the city centre will be replaced
with feeder bus lines to metro stations.
With the West Metro, the Helsinki Metropolitan
Region will have two metro lines:
Matinkylä-Vuosaari and Tapiola-Mellunmäki.
During rush hours, the metro will operate between
Tapiola and Itäkeskus every two and a
half minutes.
kilometres connection hubs passengers daily bicycle parking areas
ERIK SÖDERBLOM TO
LEAD THE CITY THEATRE
DIRECTOR Erik Söderblom started as the new
Artistic Director of Espoo City Theatre at the
beginning of August. Previously, Söderblom
has been a professor and a vice-principal at the
Finnish Theatre Academy, the CEO of the Helsinki
Festival and a member of the artistic committee
of Tampere Theatre Festival.
“Espoo City Theatre has an unprecedented
opportunity to develop into a stage for great
events that look into the future and are genuinely
interesting. I’m glad to be part of creating
the development,” says Söderblom.
The unemployment rate in Espoo
in January–May 2017 was
9.1
PER CENT
when the share of unemployed in
entire Finland in the corresponding
period of time was 11.1. When compared
to the previous period last
year, unemployment has decreased
in Espoo by one per cent.
ESPOO MAGAZINE 2/2017 >> 5

COLLECTINGS
BOOK AN
APPOINTMENT WITH
A NURSE
AS OF 1 September, nurses serve at
health centres only by appointment.
You can book an appointment online at
espoo.fi/eterveys or by calling your own
health centre’s appointment booking
telephone number.
The change means that there will
no longer be nurses’ open practices at
health centres. You no longer have to
queue to see a nurse as you can see
them at the previously agreed upon
time. Nurses distribute vaccinations and
medical injections, for instance.
OLLI HÄKÄMIES
Better service with artificial intelligence
THE CITY of Espoo and the Finnish software and
service company Tieto are carrying out an artificial
intelligence pilot project that is unique also on
a global scale. The artificial intelligence will analyse
the social welfare and health data of the entire
population of Espoo and early childhood education’s
customer data from 2002–2016. Information
security is of the utmost importance in the pilot
project: all personal data has been encrypted and
secure connections are used in the data transfer.
The purpose of the pilot project is to improve the
understanding of people’s need for services. The aim
is to identify needs for services on a more individualised
level by analysing vast data masses. This means
the city can intervene with social exclusion, for instance,
earlier and more cost efficiently than before.
“We are just about to start the data transfer.
Based on the data, the artificial intelligence will
create service paths. For instance, we can observe
the users of heavy services as a group, trace back
their service path and see where we could prevent
the need for heavy services,” says Tomas Lehtinen,
Project Manager and Analyst at the City of Espoo.
”THE AIM IS TO IDENTIFY NEEDS FOR
SERVICES ON A MORE INDIVIDUALISED
LEVEL BY ANALYSING VAST DATA MASSES.”
FROM THE ANNALS OF HISTORY
Glimpses into everyday life a hundred years ago
ESPOO WASN’T exactly at the heart of the
events of the Finnish Civil War 99 years ago.
Only one battle took place here on 11 April 1918
when the German army, called to the aid of
the Whites, marched through Espoo towards
Helsinki. In Leppävaara, they encountered
the Red troops. The battle that ensued also
caused fatalities.
Even though the people of Espoo participated
in fights and battles elsewhere in Finland
and many worked and spent time in Helsinki—
which as the capital was naturally the focus of
the war—the stages of the Civil War have not
been extensively researched from the perspective
of Espoo. Now, as part of celebrating the
centenary of Finland’s independence, the Espoo
City Museum has collected data on the matter.
“The museum has some letters, reminiscences
and tapes from where we have collected
memories of the Civil War. In addition,
we also had a project worker for the
first months of the year collecting data about
Espoo in the period of the Civil War from a
total of 30 other museums and archives,” says
Sanna Valoranta-Saltikoff, Educator at Espoo
City Museum.
The memories of the people of Espoo were
also collected during the winter and spring.
Workers from Espoo
Manor harvesting
potatoes in 1914.
Luukki Manor’s
dayworkers resting
in summer 1916.
A German officer
in Leppävaara in
April 1918.
ESPOON KAUPUNGINMUSEO
“We received around twenty contacts that
led to interviews and valuable data and material,”
says Valoranta-Saltikoff.
After the data was collected, the planning
of the exhibition to be opened in late autumn
was started. In addition to the Särkynyt elämä
(“Broken life”) exhibition, the project will include
different guided tours and a collection of
material online for the residents of Espoo.
› The Särkynyt elämä (“Broken life”) exhibition
at KAMU in Exhibition Centre WeeGee on 1 November
2017–21 October 2018.
6

EVERYTHING ABOUT ESPOO’S
WATERFRONT WALKWAY
AT WORK
For Lennart Pettersson, the sea is everything. Now he works at the
seaside along the Waterfront Walkway.
TEXT Tiina Parikka PHOTO Timo Porthan
’’
The sea has always been part of my work ever
since my first summer jobs. I became the Waterfront
Walkway host through a development
group that discussed the future of the area a few
months ago.
Previously, I’ve worked with boat harbours and seaside
outdoor services. All services related to the sea are interesting,
so it was easy and fun to seize this opportunity.
My job is to further develop the area. Now, in the summertime,
it mostly means organising events together with
partners. I also negotiate with companies interested in investing
in the area and I connect the right people to help
matters progress. An important part of activating the area
is of course communication with the residents of Espoo.
We want to explain what is taking place here.
The Waterfront Walkway is a vast and diverse area. Its
eastern border is a Natura area that has Nature House
Villa Elfvik and the Gallen-Kallela Museum. When you
head west, the area changes into the Otaniemi University
Campus that is Espoo’s
innovation hub. After that, you’ll encounter the
strongly constructed Keilaniemi with its tower houses.
The section from Westend to Kivenlahti has plenty of
beach cafés and restaurants, beaches and marinas.
Among other events, the autumn will include the traditional
seaside marathon that will be run on 16–17 September.
The sea has a hold of
Lennart Pettersson’s
work and leisure.
40
KILOMETRES OF PEDESTRIAN
AND BICYCLE PATHS
18
MARINAS
THE WATER-
FRONT
WALKWAY HAS,
AMONG OTHER
THINGS
11
SEASIDE BEACHES
2
BIRDWATCHING TOWERS
2
HOTELS AND SEVERAL
CAFÉS AND
RESTAURANTS
ESPOO MAGAZINE 2/2017 >> 7

THEME
SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE
ARE LEARNT AT SCHOOLS
A significant shift took place in Finnish schools last autumn when
then new curriculum was introduced. The barriers demarking different
subjects were taken down and students have become producers of new
information instead of only receiving it. Ways of learning and learning
environments have also changed.
Text Tiina Parikka Illustration Fleur Wilson Photos Timo Porthan
Curricula have been renewed
in Finland every ten years.
The curriculum defines
how teaching is organised
and how the work is carried out at
schools. Based on the foundation created
by the Finnish National Agency
for Education, the municipalities
draw up their own curricula that are
further specified in every school.
The new curricula were implemented
in basic and upper secondary
education and training gradually
during the school year 2016–2017. This
year, the implementation of the new
early childhood education curriculum
began. City of Espoo’s Director of Education
Kaisu Toivonen thinks that
the comprehensive aspect of the curricula
from early childhood education
to secondary education and training is
the most significant change in this renewal.
“Extensive expertise is the thread
that runs through all educational
levels,” she says.
Espoo has implemented the local
curricula in a way that helps different
actors participate, and this has been
praised.
“We divided the curriculum into
seven foundational pillars. In Espoo,
everyone from students to their parents
and caregivers to school staff
were extensively involved in the curriculum
work,” says Ilpo Salonen, Executive
Superintendent of Basic Education.
The seven foundational pillars of
Espoo’s curriculum are presented on
the next spread.
8

ESPOO MAGAZINE 2/2017 >> 9

THEME
1
THINKING AND LEARNING HOW TO LEARN
2
“Our everyday life at school
has changed significantly. For a
teacher, creating the system means more
work, but after that there will be more time
in the everyday life at school for those who
need more guidance,” says Henna Kortesmäki,
who taught sixth grade at Mankkaanpuro
School last school year.
The new curriculum highlights different
ways of learning.
“We have moved on from a world of
teaching and controlling to a school
where students’ learning means everything.
If the best way to learn is lying on
your back with your feet up and music
blasting from headphones, then go
ahead,” describes Ilpo Salonen.
However, despite the change in the
mental landscape, many of the school
buildings are still from the 1950s, 1960s
and 1970s, which means that their surroundings
do not completely support
this new way of working.
“The teacher is still responsible for
the students and should always know
where they are. Often, the classes still
move as groups: either they go somewhere
together or stay in one classroom,”
says Kaisu Toivonen.
At Mankkaanpuro School, different
learning environments have been created
with small furniture that can be
moved around. The hallways are dotted
with tables and chairs and there are piles
of pillows and blankets under the stairs.
“At our school, each student still has
their own desk, but studying also takes
place in the nearby hallways,” says Kortesmäki.
CULTURAL COMPETENCE, INTERACTION AND EXPRESSION
Modern studying is no longer
quietly toiling by your own desk,
but students still value the calm,
quieter working spaces. It’s also permitted
to work alone, apart from
specified work that is done in pairs
or as a group.
3
THE SEVEN FOUNDATIONAL PILLARS OF ESPOO’S CURRICULUM:
“What I can, I do independently. In
new things, it’s nicer to be in the group,”
said Pekka Korttilalli when he was
ending his sixth grade.
“The best calm space for working in a
small group is in the vestibule or under
the stairs. The group will also advise and
TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF AND EVERYDAY SKILLS
Children’s increased responsibility for
their own studying has raised worries.
“In the beginning, it was hard to plan
my own schedule. Sometimes I didn’t
stick to it and then I had to do homework
during the weekend. However, it
has gotten easier over time,” say Max
Goodman and Iiro Ritala.
Both boys started at Mankkaanpuro
School already in the first grade and were
completing their sixth grade at the time
of writing this article. Their sixth year was
also the first one with the new curriculum.
Viola Seppänen and Mahbuba Rezaei
felt that responsibility and power to
help if necessary,” says Max Goodman
and Iiro Ritala.
However, at times, the classroom
can be the quietest spot if many people
leave the room.
Skills for group work are part of the
student’s evaluation.
make your own decisions make life
easier as it means that you can decide
for yourself which homework is allocated
for which day.
Henna Kortesmäki also admits that
many children sometimes long for traditional
lessons and feel the heavy weight
of the responsibility on their shoulders.
On the other hand, guidance and monitoring
are more individual.
“Tasks are always handed out at the
beginning of the week, and they are also
visible to parents. We went through this
at a parents’ meeting and also clarified
the timetable as the school year progressed,”
says Kortesmäki.
Ilpo Salonen reminds us that the
teacher’s task is always to be involved in
setting the goals. If the student has an
unrealistic view of their performance,
the teacher’s job is to provide guidance
also in that.
“No one can be left to their own devices.
In fact, the teacher must know
their students better than ever,” says
Salonen.
He lists three important tasks for parents:
Listen, encourage and praise!
Parents should know how to ask and
monitor.
800
Number of students grows
by 800 each year, which
corresponds to the number
of students in 2.5 averagesized
schools or one large
school unit.
Many schools were built
in the 1950s, 1960s and
1970s and are now in need
of renovation. School
renovations and the
increase in the number
of students means that
teaching also takes place in
“mobile”, i.e. not permanent
teaching facilities, such as
civil defence shelters.
21–23
The average class size
is 21–23 students, but
the number varies a lot
between schools. On the
other hand, large groups
of even up to 30 students
have more teacher
resources and a large
part of the classes can be
divided, which means that
the class size is only around
15 students.
SCHOOL IS ABOUT DOING, NOT LEARNING BY HEART
THE FAMILIES of Mankkaanpuro
School’s students had the chance to
take a peek and also participate in the
school’s modern ways of working, such
as functionality and multidisciplinary
teaching, at a learning fair organised
this spring.
The learning fair presented traditional
games made on paper, such as
finding the correct letters in the style
of the Hangman. However, most of the
games were electronic. It seemed like
the children could go on playing for
hours on end.
“The number of games played on
computers and mobile devices has
grown significantly. Among the most
popular are, for instance, Kahoots that
are multiple choice games where the
teacher or the student after learning in
a subject can create the questions and
provide alternative responses.
Each student replies to the questions
using their own mobile phone,”
says Anu Kurkela, teacher of a preparatory
class.
IN THE spring term at Mankkaanpuro
School, the primary school classes’
multidisciplinary groups were made up
of students from the first to the third
or the fourth to the sixth grades.
“My theme was natural phenomena.
The children first chose a subject related
to the theme that they wanted
to study in groups. An example of this
could be the aurora borealis. Then the
students listed what they know about
the aurora borealis beforehand. They
searched for more information on the
Internet, books and by interviewing
people. Impressive posters were made
of the answers for everyone to see,”
says Lotta Halttunen, class teacher.
In this way, one project combined
geography with Finnish and arts.
TEO, WHO was in the second grade,
doesn’t have much to compare his
school experience to. When you have
gotten used to multidisciplinary teaching
from the beginning, it feels natural,
as does functional teaching.
“At school, everything has been easy
and fun. My favourite subject is maths.
I like to build with Multilink blocks, but
the exercises in the book are often
10

4
5
MULTILITERACY
The sixth graders at Mankkaanpuro
School were also facing other
new challenges in late spring. Primary
school was almost over and it was time
to move on to middle school. Many students
thought that the new way of
studying will not work in middle school
where every subject is taught by a different
teacher.
According to Kaisu Toivonen, multidisciplinary
studying is more challenging in
middle schools.
“The teachers are required to cooperate
much more. Joint teaching
demands a lot of planning. In middle
ICT COMPETENCE
schools, linking different subjects is
more challenging as there is also more
substance that should be taught.”
Henna Kortesmäki agrees with the
idea:
“There must be a clear annual plan for
multidisciplinary studies. Many projects
have been carried out in cooperation
with parallel classes.”
However, the students haven’t felt
multidisciplinary studies to be too much
work or too difficult.
“It’s okay, but I don’t know if it’s necessary,”
said Pekka Korttilalli.
All sixth graders at Mankkaanpuro
School have Chromebook tablets
that contain all their tasks and exercises.
Some students have struggled with
Chromebooks, but most are exhilarated
to have them.
“My backpack is so much lighter now
that I don’t have to carry different books
around. I have all the tasks and exercises in
my Chrome folders,” said Max Goodman.
“We also use the students’ own devices
and take pictures and record
videos with smartphones,” says Henna
Kortesmäki.
It’s easy to think that modern students
are even better with digital devices
than their teachers, but mostly it’s
about their attitude towards the devices.
The use of the devices should be taught
like anything else.
“Teaching a critical attitude towards
sources is essential when there is limitless
information available. And we
haven’t completely disregarded books,
either,” says Kaisu Toivonen.
“Digitalisation is a servant in the background,
and that’s the role it should
have. The purpose of school is to prepare
the students for today and the future,”
reminds Ilpo Salonen.
even more interesting,” says Teo, leading
the way for his mother into the world of
musical painting.
Teo’s mother Jenni Kujala has
noticed that more skills of emotional intelligence
and interaction are taught at
school. This has pleased her. Knowing
details by heart and evaluating the child
on the basis of this type of information
has decreased.
“This social dimension is essential also
later in working life. You don’t have to
be the best at everything, it’s more important
to know how to collaborate,” she
emphasises.
6
7
WORKING LIFE SKILLS AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Evaluation is also a constant dialogue
with the child. Alongside traditional
tests, competence can be demonstrated
with different types of group
work. The students also take part in the
evaluation of their own performance
and that of others.
The teacher’s job is to guide the student
towards their own best possible
performance. In general, positive pedagogy
is favoured nowadays, which aims
at identifying and reinforcing the students’
own strengths.
“Evaluations could be compared to
development discussions in working life.
Going to school now resembles working
life more than before,” explains Kaisu
Toivonen.
The change in evaluation can also be
seen in the report card as an increased
amount of verbal evaluation.
PARTICIPATING, INFLUENCING AND
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
In addition to substance competence
and group work skills, creating something
new is also taken into account
when evaluating a student. It means it is
not only essential to remember information
given to you but also the ability to
create something new based on the information
counts.
It comes to mind that maybe the new
curriculum doesn’t favour those traditional
overachievers who sit nicely and
quietly at their own desks, doing what
they are told.
“Also shy and quiet students have
their strengths and it is the teacher’s
task to help them achieve their potential
in group work and support them in social
skills,” explains Kaisu Toivonen.
ESPOO MAGAZINEI 2/2017 >> 11

WHAT’S ON IN AUGUST-OCTOBER
› MR. JAM IS
CONFUSED
HERRA HILLO, or Mr. Jam, is a traveller
and a vagabond who carries
everything he owns with him. His
luggage conceals the safety of everyday
life but also the confusion
that startles our friend: the objects
tend to come alive and start dancing!
Dance performance with mute
miming is a relatable experience
of the world for both children and
adults. The performance is a production
by Glims & Gloms dance
theatre company.
> Performances between 31 August
and 8 November at Espoo Cultural
Centre’s Louhisali Hall and Kannusali
in Espoo centre. Duration is approximately
50 minutes. Age recommendation:
+4.
› SENIOR CITIZEN,
LIVE SAFELY!
THE SENIORIN turvallinen koti
(“Safe Home for a Senior Citizen!”)
tour includes the police, the rescue
department, sports services and
senior guidance Nestori. This is an
information and discussion event
about safety for residents of Espoo
over 65 years. Free entry.
> Mon 2 October at 1:30–3:30 p.m.
in Leppävaara Life and Living
Centre for Senior Citizens, Säterinkatu
3. Mon 30 October at 1:00–
3:00 p.m. in Louhisali Hall, Espoo
Cultural Centre, Kulttuuriaukio 2.
Tue 14 November at 1:30–3:30 p.m.
in Kauklahti Life and Living Centre
for Senior Citizens, Hansakartano 4.
› FEEL THE
AUTUMN BEAT
SYKETTÄ SYKSYYN – Låt Hösten
Pulsera is a traditional autumn festival
for senior citizens in Espoo.
The programme features dance
and song performances by senior
citizens’ organisations. The Espoo
Pensioner of 2017 will be announced
at the event. Free entry.
Bus transport. The main language
of the event is Finnish.
> Sun 15 October Coffee served at
2:00 p.m., the celebration at 3:00–
5:00 p.m., Espoo Cultural Centre,
Tapiola Hall, main foyer and downstairs
lobby.
ESPOO
DAY TO
DAY
Pick the best and
most interesting tips and
hints on what to do and
see in the autumn.
MORE HAPPENINGS:
espoo.fi › City of Espoo › What’s on › Events of Espoo
Tapiola Hall in the
hands of a pop diva
SINGER JENNI Vartiainen will perform at Tapiola Hall as part of her tour of
11 locations. The concert will feature her famous pop songs from previous
albums and new songs, such as the single Turvasana, which has been widely
played on the radio.
“Gigs at concert halls have always been magical. Lights, scenery and two
intermissions give the chance to present to the audience something that
cannot be conveyed at other gigs. Each night is different and I can’t wait to
experience a whole range of emotions together,” says Vartiainen.
The 34-year-old singer and songwriter has collected nine Emma awards
during her career, published the solo albums Ihmisten edessä, Seili and
Terra and participated in the hit television show Vain elämää.
> Sat 28 October at 7:00–9:00 p.m., Espoo Cultural Centre, Tapiola Hall.
Duration 2 hrs (intermission), no age limit. Tickets from Lippupiste.
› SHORT DOCUMEN-
TARIES FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE’S AUTUMN
THE DOKKINO event brings short documentaries
to children and youth. The
documentaries have been collected into
screenings around an annually changing
theme. It is a national event organised
by DocPoint festival that tours Finland.
The films have been divided into two series:
those for primary school students
(from 4th to 6th graders) and middle
school students.
The event aims to show to children
and youth films they wouldn’t have the
opportunity to see otherwise. The theme
“Alternative realities” takes viewers
to different ways of experiencing and
living that can be encountered in physical,
mental or virtual worlds. In these
modern times, technology and the Internet
are strongly present in the everyday
lives of children and youth in
both school and leisure. How do they affect
your way of experiencing the surrounding
world? DokKino is the largest
year-round and national documentary
film event for children and youth in Europe,
and it is now being organised for
the 15th time. All films have Finnish subtitles.
The duration of the selections is
approximately 80–90 minutes.
> DokKino 31 October–7 November Free
entry. Sign up for the event: docpoint.
info/dokkino/ilmoittautuminen
› THE CHARM OF BLACK
AND WHITE KEYS
THE INTERNATIONAL PianoEspoo festival
invites music lovers to enjoy music
during 3–19 September. The main guest
is the esteemed Australian Chamber
Orchestra, which is visiting Finland for
the first time. The orchestra’s solo parts
will be played by Finnish favourite Olli
Mustonen and the French pianist Pierre-
Laurent Aimard. The Tapiola Youth Piano
Competition for young pianists will
be organised in connection with the festival.
PianoEspoo wants to support beginner
pianists and the piano as a hobby
among young people. The renowned piano
artist Paavali Jumppanen is the Artistic
Director of the festival.
› VISIT THE VILLA
AESTHETES ENJOY the Villa Museum
Villa Rulludd and its exquisite seaside location
(Rullaniementie 15).
The Villa Museum and its café is open
on the first Sunday of every month at
11.00 a.m.–3.00 p.m. Free entry.
12

Technology for toddlers
AT THE beginning of October, the children’s festival will ease
your thirst for knowledge, tackle the tickling of the unknown and
hunger for experiences. This year the themes of the Art Tickling
(Kutitus in Finnish) Festival include the future, technology and
space. The programme includes, for instance, the Supersankarit
(‘Superheroes’) performance by Tanssiteatteri Raatikko dance
theatre company, in which a little girl’s imagination makes toys
come to life. Wally Watthead and His Lost Glow 2.0 performance
promises clownery, magic and giant bubblegum balloons.
The workshops experiment with virtual reality, coding and
controlling robots. The Taidetta vai teknologiaa? (“Art or Technology?”)
concert combines art and science.
There will also be a space disco for the whole family, different
exhibitions and plenty of free events—and the festival cats Viksu
and Viiksi will be with you throughout the festival.
> Children’s art festival Art Tickling (Kutitus) on 4–8 October at
the Espoo Cultural Centre
THE
AUTUMN
PROGRAMME OF
On the edge
ESPOO CITY
THEATRE AT:
MARK LOCKYER is an actor with The Royal Shakespeare Company.
One sunny day, his life changes in an irreversible way. Mark
ESPOONTEATTERI.FI
loses himself and his ability to follow his profession. A new life begins
in which every day is a battle against the darkness. British Actors
Touring Company’s wild, funny and also emotional monologue Living with
the Lights On boldly gives a face to mental disorders.
> Performances on 12–14 October Espoo Cultural Centre, Louhisali Hall. The
language of the performance is English, subtitles in Finnish. Duration 1 h 20
mins (no intermission). Age recommendation: for people over 14. Tickets
from Lippupiste and Espoo City Theatre’s ticket office.
Tuure Kilpeläinen.
› TUNES FROM
GREENLAND TO A
DESERT ISLAND
SELLO HALL will echo the splendid
sounds of great concerts in the autumn.
On Friday 15 September, musician
Ismo Alanko will present his modern
take on traditional Finnish “poetry singing”
in his Yksin (“Alone”) solo show.
On Wednesday 4 October, the indie folk
group Nive & Deer Children from Greenland
will bring greetings from icy plains
to Espoo. Tuure Kilpeläinen and his
band Kaihon Karavaani take over the
stage on Thursday 5 October and they
are guaranteed to make your hips move
with their hit Autiosaari.
Friday 13 October marks the celebration
of counterculture music when
M.A. Numminen’s Underground Rock
Orchestra plays after a screening of
a short film that sets the tone for the
evening. Friends of drumming are
treated to a spectacle on Saturday 4
November when the legendary Terry
Bozzio pounds on the largest drum and
percussion set in the world.
› A THRILLER
PACES AMONG
CENTURIES
PAAVO WESTERBERG’S new play
Seuraavat 500 vuotta (“The Next 500
Years”) is a modern thriller on original
sin and guilt. Three people are trying
to solve a murder and figure out their
mutual relationships in this drama offering
wild twists and turns. Eero Aho,
Ria Kataja and Carl-Kristian Rundman
on stage.
> Play in Espoo City Theatre’s Revontulihalli
Hall on 19 September–2 December.
Tickets from Lippupiste or Espoo City
Theatre’s ticket office.
› EMMA MUSEUM
DRESSES UP IN
A MURAL
ESPOO MUSEUM of Modern Art EMMA
will feature the exhibitions by Ernst
Mether-Borgström and Sarah Morris on
21 June 2017–7 January 2018. Finnish
artist Ernst Mether-Borgström’s exhibition
marks one hundred years from his
birth and completes the image of Finnish
modernism in the centenary year of
Finnish independence.
Sarah Morris lives in London and
New York and her exhibition includes
three films and a collection of paintings.
The starting point for Morris’s work is
often a metropolis, and this time the
muse has been Rio de Janeiro. Morris
will complete a 30-metre-long mural at
EMMA that will adapt to the unique architecture
of the WeeGee building.
› GLASS SATURDAY
INCLUDES ACTIVITIES
FOR ENTHUSIASTS
AND FAMILIES
ESPOO CITY Museum KAMU’s Glass
Saturday will feature glass blowers,
identifying glass objects, Maalaamo
workshop and guided tours. Glass Saturday
is part of KAMU’s A Time for
Glass – Kauklahti Glassworks 1923–1952
exhibition programme.
> Glass Saturday on 2 September
at 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. at Exhibition
Centre WeeGee.
ESPOO MAGAZINE 2/2017 >> 13

WHAT’S ON IN AUGUST-OCTOBER
> GYM GROUPS START
The disc golf association Puskasoturit
organises weekly competitions
throughout the summer on Sundays
at 5:00 p.m. in Oittaa. Antti Granqvist
(left) and Vesa Saarinen training.
ESPOONLAHTI SWIMMING Hall’s gym, Thursdays at
5:00–6:00 p.m., circuit training, no advance registration
necessary. Note! For first timers, we recommend
the Kuntosali tutuksi (“Get to know the gym”)
group at 4:25–4:55 p.m.
> SPORTS NIGHT FOR
BEGINNERS
ON MONDAYS at Kannusillanmäki’s swimming hall/
gym/sports hall at 5:15–6:15 and on Tuesdays at the
Tuulimäki sports hall in Tapiola at 5:00–6:00 p.m.
The group is meant for beginners and those who
have not done sports in a long while.
> NEW WATER SPORTS GROUP
IN LEPPÄVAARA Swimming Hall on Tuesdays at
5:00–6:00 p.m. A sports instructor will give advice
and guide you in what to do in the pool and how to
improve your swimming skills. You will also learn
how water sports affect your body.
> BODY MAINTENANCE
IN KUITINMÄKI
BODY MAINTENANCE course for adults on Thursdays
at 5:00–6:00 p.m. at Kuitinmäki School. A relaxed
class for well-being that promotes mobility
and balance, body maintenance and posture.
GOLF FOR EVERYONE
Disc golf combines social interaction and enjoyment of nature
and the outdoors. These are the things that are often praised
about traditional golf, but what makes disc golf different is
that the threshold for starting to play is much lower.
14 SHOPPING CENTRE
WALKS BRING SPORTS
CLOSE TO YOU
FREE-OF-CHARGE JOINT walks suitable for all at
Shopping Centre Ainoa on Mondays at 9:30–10:30
a.m. Easy exercising, walking, muscle toning, balance
exercises and stretching. Start from the corner
of Kaisa Cafe and the information desk. See the information
about shopping centre walks in Sello, Iso
Omena and Entresse from espoo.fi/ohjattuliikunta
> MOVE ON FRIDAY
MORNINGS
ESPOO ARENA hosts a sports morning for senior
citizens and special groups on Fridays at 9:30–11:00
a.m. Diverse and fun instructed exercising without
advance registration. Group meets in front of Esport
Arena.
> GYM SHIFTS FOR
SPECIAL GROUPS
ON TUESDAYS at Espoonlahti Swimming Hall’s gym
at 3:00–3:55 p.m., Keski-Espoo Swimming Hall’s gym
at 3:30–4:25 p.m. and Olari Sports Centre’s gym at
3:00–3:55 p.m. On Wednesdays at Espoonlahti Swimming
Hall’s gym at 11:15 a.m.–12:10 p.m., Leppävaara
Swimming Hall’s gym at 1:30–2:25 p.m. and Tuulimäki
Swimming Hall’s gym at 2:00–2:55 p.m.

INSIGHT
One door for
things big and
small
If young people have things on
their mind, now they can get answers
easier than before as the services
providing information, help and support
for young people have been centralised
under one roof.
TEXT Tiina Parikka
1
You can call Ohjaamo with anything you want to
talk about or ask about, or visit Ohjaamo during
its opening hours. There are always at least two
people working at Ohjaamo. The premises also have a
laid-back area where you can hang out if you need to
wait your turn.
2
You are thinking about finding an apartment,
studying, working or anything else.
Ohjaamo gives advice on how to seek voluntary
work abroad, for instance. Sometimes the matter
can be dealt with over the phone, sometimes it requires
making an appointment where you can discuss
the issue. In addition to youth, families and friends
can also seek advice.
3
The same person who meets the young
person in need of help will also accompany
them to the youth services or to meet
healthcare experts, if other visits are required. No
one is bounced from one clerk to another.
The number
of the on-call
telephone is
040 126 7513.
OPENING PARTY ON FRI 15 SEPTEMBER
OHJAAMO OPENED in March in Leppävaara at Lintuvaarantie
15. It serves from Monday to Friday at 12:00 noon–4:00
p.m., and on Tuesdays at 12:00 noon–6:00 p.m. The opening
of the premises will be celebrated on Friday 15 September
at 2:00–6:00 p.m. when the premises and the advisors
present themselves to everyone. The other Ohjaamo service
point opened on 14 August at Iso Omena Service Centre’s
premises for youth services.
Ohjaamo is also in social media:
facebook.com/OhjaamoEspoo
twitter.com/OhjaamoEspoo
instagram.com/OhjaamoEspoo
ESPOO MAGAZINE 2/2017 >> 15

PEARL
16

TIMO PORTHAN
PENTALA – FULL OF NATURAL BEAUTY
AND PERFECT FOR AN OUTING
ON THE island of Pentala, a deer gazes at a passerby strolling down the old
cart track. At the heart of the island is a lake where a family of swans shelter
their cygnets in the reeds, and students attending a sailing course make
preparations in front of restaurant Paven. The rare sea sandwort grows on
the natural sandy beach of Diksand and, in the springtime, spring snowflakes
bloom on the island.
Located in Espoo’s Suvisaaristo, Pentala covers an area of 130 hectares,
half of which is a nature reserve. During the 1860s to 1930s a steam ship used
to operate to the island. These days, the summer cottages on Pentala are
reached by private boat and, during the Archipelago Days, by shared transportation.
Next summer will see the start of a route to the island, which means
visitors can enjoy the island’s designated nature trails.
The last resident who lived on Pentala all year round was Gurli Nyholm
(1905–1987). She lived on the island with her husband as a fisherman. She also
had a little farm and the villa she rented to summer residents will be opened in
June 2018 as part of Pentala’s Archipelago Museum.
“The Archipelago Museum consists of ten museum buildings,” says Intendant
Eeva Kyllönen.
“Gurli Nyholm’s home museum will have more than 3,000 exhibits.”
PIRITTA PORTHAN
ESPOO MAGAZINE 2/2017 >> 17

SERVICE
DAY
THE ENTIRE CITY
Espoo Day will take over the entire weekend 25–27 August with
more events than ever. Every nook and cranny will be filled for
happy encounters when the people of Espoo celebrate their home
town and the centenary of Finland’s independence.
TEXT Veera Saloheimo PHOTOS Jussi Hellsten
The culmination of the
summer is a fabulous urban
celebration when Espoo
Day is, for the first time, celebrated
for the entire weekend, from
Friday 25th to Sunday 27th of August.
The impressive event cavalcade will
spread throughout Espoo offering
moments of togetherness and enjoying
each other for all the people
of Espoo.
This year, Espoo’s largest urban
event is larger than ever. During
the past year, Espoo Day’s number
of events has grown to almost 200
and the number of visitors has more
than doubled to over 40,000 visitors.
“The people of Espoo together
will make this into a phenomenal
event that celebrates the city’s diversity.
Espoo Day presents a
chance to try out a new hobby or
new organisations in different
premises. The weekend is a festive
transition into autumn,” says Susan
Forsblom, Cultural Producer.
Since May, everyone has had the
chance to sign up for organising
their own event. There are many
neighbourhood associations, residents,
housing companies, sports
organisations, museum, daycare
centres, artists, youth organisations,
nature associations, city
AT THE START
OF AUGUST,
235
EVENTS HAD BEEN
REGISTERED
18

AT THE
BEGINNING OF
AUGUST,
3 334
PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED
IN ORGANISING
THE EVENTS
100 & 100
Finland’s official centenary date is
exactly one hundred days from the
official Espoo Day on 27 August.
units and companies involved –
in total, more than 3,000 people.
You can sign up as an event organiser
even on the last event day. All
events are free of charge and open
to all.
“THE STARTING POINT of the event is
exciting as Espoo Day takes place
exactly one hundred days before independent
Finland turns 100,” explains
Forsblom.
The weekend of Espoo Day is a national
Suomi Finland 100 celebratory
year super weekend celebrated
everywhere in Finland. The Council
of State has issued the theme Together
for the weekend.
THE DATE 27 AUGUST was selected
as the official Espoo Day as it is
the date when in 1556 the charter
founding Espoo Manor was signed.
The roots of the event extend
back decades to village celebrations
and other events by neighbourhood
associations and other regional actors.
As far as we know, the first time
the name Espoo Day was used was
in connection with the event organised
in 1992.
› espoopaiva.fi
40 000
VISITORS LAST
YEAR
CELEBRATES ESPOO DAY
SEARCH OR REGISTER YOUR OWN EVENT AT ESPOOPAIVA.FI
Somali book and
culture fair
Fri 25 August at 10:00
a.m.–6:00 p.m.,
Iso Omena library’s
Service Centre’s Stage
Film picnic
25 August at 9:00–10:00
a.m. and 10:30–11:30 a.m.,
Karatalo, Kotkatie 4
Ideas and advice
for the garden
25–26 August,
Marketanpuisto,
Pehtorinkuja 3
Tallink Tournament
2017 junior basket ball
tournament
Fri–Sun 25–27 August
Tapiolan urheilupuisto
Suomi Finland 100
Village Celebration
Sat 26 August at 10:00
a.m.–4:00 p.m.,
Kylätalo Palttina,
Kauklahti
Singing Dinner
Under the Nuuksio Sky
Sat 26 August at 6:00–
9:00 p.m., The Finnish
Nature Centre Haltia
Open doors at The
Finnish School of
Watchmaking
on Sat 26 August at 10:00
a.m.–2:00 p.m.,
Vanha Maantie 11
Finnish championships
of model aircraft
Sat–Sun 26–27 August,
Espoo RC Air Field,
instructions from
Ämmässuontie
Street circus theatre tour
27 August
at 12:30–12:45 p.m.,
Espoontori
ESPOO MAGAZINE 2/2017 >> 19

The most wonderful weekend of the summer!
ESPOO
DAY
25–27/8/2017 ESPOO-PÄIVÄ
ESBODAGEN
A three-day Espoo Day celebration will take place 25-27 August
in honour of the centenary of Finland’s independence. More
than 200 events will be arranged and admission to all of them
is free of charge. A list of the events can be found on our website
or grab a Espoo Day brochure from a library, Cultural Centre
or Citizens’ Office near you.
espooday.fi