Nature The City of Helsinki voted in clear numbers in favor of demolishing the Vanhankaupunginkoski dam

Old town rapids the dam is one step closer to demolition.

At its meeting on Monday, the city government took a clear position on the demolition of 10–5 dams.

Politicians discussed Emma Karin (green) and 17 other commissioned initiatives that the city will immediately begin to investigate the demolition of the dam in whole or in part.

This would not have been directly addressed in the official proposal. Officials would have initially rehabilitated the eastern branch of the rapids in accordance with previous decisions. The demolition of the dam from the western branch would then have been further explored only while examining the effects of the actions of the eastern branch.

So now politicians have formulated their position on the dam issue more strictly than this. Politicians ended up voting 10-10 to support the deputy mayor Anni Sinnemäki (green) presentation.

The city government proposes that the necessary studies and an overall plan be made for the demolition of the dam so that the demolition of the dam, either in whole or in part, can be carried out in a controlled manner.

The Old Town rapids are treated as a whole, so work will not start in the eastern branch first. The overall plan is scheduled for completion in February 2023.

Padon demolition has been discussed in Helsinki politics for more than a decade. Advocates of the dam talk about the cultural-historical significance of the built environment in the area, which is where Helsinki was born. Proponents of the demolition of the dam, on the other hand, base their position on natural values ​​and, in particular, on the living conditions of endangered migratory fish.

In the past, the political debate has each time ended in the victory of opponents of the dissolution, but a turnaround took place in February. When Kari’s initiative was discussed in the Urban Environment Board, a clear majority voted in favor of demolishing the dam.

In the city government, the Left Alliance and the Coalition were divided. For example, the mayor of the Coalition Party Juhana Vartiainen voted in favor of demolition of the dam, Deputy Mayor Daniel Sazonov against it. The Greens and the SDP all voted to demolish the dam, with smaller groups voting for the floor plan.

Anyone no Imagine that the dismantling would take place easily and quickly, even if the council ended up with the same position as the city government now.

The decision of the city government also lists a lot of things to consider.

The decommissioning plan must be made “taking into account the technical, legal and economic boundary conditions and the effects on the Vantaanjoki aquatic ecosystem, natural values, water surface and water balance, and the valuable cultural environment and historical values ​​of the area”. The effects on different fish stocks and the recreational use of the area must also be carefully considered, as must the exact costs.