Myllypuron Jääurheilekeskus Oy, which planned a training arena for speed, figure and formation skating in Myllypuro, Matokallio area of Eastern Helsinki, despite the current sports construction plan, received fierce opposition from the residents of the area, which was also joined by some of Helsinki’s municipal politicians.
In 2018, nothing was heard about the joint project of the Skating and Figure Skating Association, which went against the wind for several reasons, until at the end of October it was reported that a project opposed for environmental reasons had found a new location almost literally a stone’s throw away.
The new plot assigned to the project is located 500 meters from Matokallio in the depot area of Roihupello, right next to the Raide-Joker, i.e. light rail line 15.
– I met Matokallio activists in June. When the opportunity for this new lot opened up in August, I contacted them again. I asked, Do you now support this project as strongly as you opposed the previous one. They promised to pay and said that they think the new plot is excellent. I appreciate this, reached from Japan for speed skating coaching jobs Janne Hänninen tells Urheilu.
Society’s flagship project
Hänninen has led the arena project throughout its existence. For years, the project has remained the top project of the Olympic Committee’s most important sports venue needs; its number one position was recently confirmed for 2024-2027.
In practice, this means significant support of millions of euros from the Ministry of Education and Culture for the construction project, the price of which has been calculated at around 26 million euros.
The next important milestone is the planning meeting on November 23rd. Then Hänninen will hear if the new location needs a new zoning at all, which would take about a year.
– According to experts, there is a good chance that a new zoning procedure would not be needed, Hänninen says.
Figure skating is an indoor sport in Finland, but speed skating and ice hockey are outdoor sports for the time being. Last spring, Janne Hänninen contacted another ice arena project, Helsingin Luisteluareena Oy, led by Markus Larsson. The ice ball hall planned for Malmille Kehä I had not progressed.
Now even ice hockey wants to join Roihupello’s historic project. Janne Hänninen believes that there would be enough space in the new Arena for all three sports, i.e. speed and figure skating and ice ball. According to him, it would also be very important for the sustainability of the hall’s operating economy.
Kivikko’s massive center
In any case, the training opportunities for figure skating in eastern Helsinki will improve radically, when the renovation of the Kiviko ski hall, which is significantly financed by the city, into a major training center for the sport will be completed in due course.
– The fact that an ice ball would come to Roihupelto does not rule out figure skating in any way. In time, there will be several construction engineering solutions for that. For example, a light tray whose elements could be raised to the ceiling when they are not in use, says Janne Hänninen.
In the construction of the arena itself, the inclusion of the ice ball would mean a big upheaval. In Matokallio, the roof of the hall would have been supported by a column structure that was bolted to the floor, but that is not possible if you have to play ice ball. Without support columns, the structure of the arena is more expensive.
– You can roughly say that it is roughly that much more expensive than the mining of Matokallio, which does not need to be done on the new plot, Hänninen says.
It’s about the condition of life
The long-time speed skater and three-time Olympic representative admits that he is now optimistic – but states that he has been many times before. For the viability of speed skating in Finland, he considers getting under the roof absolutely vital.
– The situation is the same in ice ball. For the sport, this is even a matter of life and death when the winters get milder, says Markus Larsson, who started the collaboration excitedly.
For example, in Sweden, hall conditions are practically standard at the top two league levels.
In Helsinki, the sports infrastructure projects belong to the deputy mayor Paavo Arhinmäki (left) for the sector. Arhinmäki was initially skeptical of the Matokallio project, mainly from the point of view of environmental values and the hall’s operating economy. He also advocated that the skating arena projects join forces to erect one structure, as is happening now. Arhinmäki tells Urheilu that he is satisfied with the recent changes:
– Now we’ve got the skating and hockey people at the same table. This way, the financial equation will also be easier to put together.
The deputy mayor reminds that even though the Figure Skating Association is a shareholder of Myllypuro Jääurheilekeskus Oy, it does not bind the association’s member clubs.
– Helsinki’s figure skating clubs were not committed to the Matokallio project, even though its operating economy was built with that in mind.
The Figure Skating Association, which is going through change negotiations, will open its thoughts about the new Roihupello location to project leader Janne Hännisen later.
In the 2024-2025 season, speed skating and ice ball will be on the back burner in Helsinki, because the Oulunkylä ice sports center will undergo a massive renovation next spring.