Veikkausliga club Gnistan is currently working out where the club’s teams will play their home games during the rest of the season. The grandstand at the club’s home stadium burned down in a devastating fire over the weekend. The fire also took away the equipment of the women’s and men’s representative teams and a lot of the club’s property and equipment.
CEO of the club Ilkka Vanala says that Monday has been a busy day for the organization.
– Insurance patterns were the first thing on the table. In addition, we resolved the representative team’s equipment issue with the equipment supplier in the morning, and the venue issue has been moved forward, once again to .
Gnistan has discussed his home game place for the rest of the season with Veikkausliiga. The most likely options are HJK’s home arena Töölö football stadium and Myyrmäki stadium in Vantaa. Vanala praises that the communication with the various parties is good and things progress quickly.
– We have a common understanding that the venue must be decided in a couple of days, Vanala stresses.
The men’s representative team returns to practice in the middle of the week, when the club’s goal is to know the “home base” for the rest of the season. In addition to the playing field, training opportunities are an important part of the whole. The team would like to practice and play in the same place, or at least practice on a similar platform and under conditions as playing games.
In addition to sporting aspects, commercial needs must be taken into account in the venue.
– A large part of the money is related to match events. We need to get income streams in from the partnerships we have agreed on for this season, Vanala opens.
Vanala doesn’t see a possibility where Gnistan shouldn’t be taken through the Veikkausliiga to the end.
According to him, for example, HJK has been really helpful regarding the use of its stadium in the negotiation tent, but in addition, Gnistan should negotiate with, for example, the stadium’s restaurant, how cooperation could work.
Insurance compensation still unclear
Vanala says that the insurance claims will be resolved little by little. The police investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway.
– First of all, the investigation will decide whose insurance covers the damages. We are in a situation where, as soon as the investigation is completed, we will start clearing the stands for insurance, so to speak, says Vanala.
After clearing, there is demolition work and new construction ahead. What the club decides to do with its stadium also affects what the insurance will cover. Discussions about a new stadium that meets international standards in Oulunkylä are underway with the City of Helsinki.
The club’s intention is to have the new stadium project zoned and construction started in the near future.
– At the same time, we need to decide how we will play the Veikkausliiga in Oulunkylä in the years when the stadium is not ready, Vanala states.
He emphasizes that the consequences of the fire will in any case cause massive costs for the club. Among other things, gym equipment, office furniture and other loose property were destroyed in the fire.
– A big bill will come to the club, no matter what kind of insurance they have, Vanala sums up.
He profusely thanks external supporters, who have been plentiful all over Finland. Private individuals, sports clubs and, for example, companies have already supported the club with tens of thousands of euros. Vanala can’t say the exact total amount yet, because support has come in different ways.
– One can only be humble and grateful. This connects and touches. Many people have stopped at what happened, Vanala reflects.
The organization is used to change
The CEO trusts the professionalism of the club’s employees in the midst of a difficult situation. Vanala estimates that the club has gotten used to change and finding solutions during the year, when there was no ready-made stadium that met the requirements of the Veikkausliiga.
– We have been in the middle of a change. There have been our own construction works, the city’s construction works, new parts of the stand have been added, new things have been tried… This is not a complete collapse either, but a new kind of situation, analyzes Vanala, who started as managing director in the spring.
On Monday, the club held a long meeting where the roles of individuals in an emergency situation were reviewed. The footsteps of the next few days in the Oulu village club are clear.
On Wednesday, the supplier of the field’s surface will arrive to assess the situation of the artificial grass that was damaged in the fire. At the same time, it becomes clear what will be done to the grass. After this, the club will be able to do, for example, training shifts for junior teams.
The temporary dressing room was saved in the fire. According to the managing director, electricity is being tuned to the space and it will be used as a workspace. Vanala emphasizes that there is a lot of concrete work and solutions ahead.
– For example, we are mapping out office spaces so that we don’t have to be in a tent until next summer, he laughs and points to the tent that was erected at the end of the field in the EC competition stand at the weekend.