Hanasaari Power Plant Area Opens to Public, Ushering in New Era

Helsinki's former Hanasaari power plant area has entered a new era, opening its gates to the public for the first time on Helsinki Day. Mayor Daniel Sazonov initiated the opening by pressing a button on an old control panel, symbolizing the site's transition from industrial past to a future envisioned as a vibrant urban space.

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We came to explore this environment, and priority number one is sauna.

The day offered a diverse range of activities, from saunas and spray painting to ballroom dancing and admiring bicycle art. A temporary sauna, set up in an old social building, quickly became a major draw. Visitors like Silva Ruoppila and Joa Lassila, who came specifically to experience the sauna, expressed a desire for the area's shores to remain open and for more trees to be planted, envisioning it as a permanent public amenity rather than a site for high-rise buildings.

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The sea is the attraction that draws foreigners here and brings well-being to Helsinki residents and domestic tourists.

Long-time residents Minna and Mika Järvinen, whose balcony views have long included the plant's chimneys and coal piles, visited to "feel" the space they had only seen from afar. They emphasized the importance of the sea as a draw for both international visitors and locals. Meanwhile, Antti Salminen, among the first to use the sauna, viewed the power plant itself as a significant piece of Helsinki's industrial architecture, a "gem" he hoped would be preserved. He noted the sauna's ability to foster conversation among strangers, a uniquely Finnish experience.

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This is one of Helsinki's finest buildings. A gem of industrial architecture.

The sentiment among many visitors was a strong desire to retain the area's unique character, transforming it from a closed industrial site into a space "for the people, by the people." While some, like Saima Hutri and Otso Siljamäki, missed out on fully booked tours, they underscored the importance of the area becoming a permanent public asset.

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Saunas connect people.