Urban nature The historic dam in Vanhankaupunginkoski is to be demolished again

Helsinki The Old Town Dam will be demolished again with a new council initiative. Green City Councilor Emma Karin the initiative requires the city to immediately begin planning the demolition of the dam in whole or in part. The delegation initiative has been signed by 17 delegates.

The future of the Old Town Dam has been decided in numerous institutions and organizations for decades. Based on a council initiative taken in 2014, the city decided to rehabilitate the eastern branch of the rapids and thereby improve the conditions for fish to rise.

Read more: Helsinki’s most famous rapids may soon be just a dry stone wall – the problem of fish smashing to death has been solved since the 1980s

It is planned to build a new channel for fish in the eastern branch of the rapids, as well as walls and depressions to facilitate fish migration.

The solutions for the dam are difficult because they contrast the living conditions of endangered migratory fish with a site of cultural and historical value. The benefits of both have so far been difficult to achieve.

Eastern branch however, the rehabilitation does not eliminate the basic problem of the area: some fish seek spawning grounds along the west side of the rapids and throw themselves to their deaths against the dam.

Some fish researchers and streams are afraid that the rehabilitation of the eastern branch will not completely solve the problems of migratory fish but will bring new problems, such as an increase in poaching or a decrease in the popular kayaking activity in the area.

The Old Town area also has a lot of local history. Helsinki was founded in 1550 at the mouth of the Vantaanjoki River. The area’s historic buildings date back to the 19th century and are protected as a nationally significant cultural environment.

Urban Environment Board discussed the draft opinion on the recent legislative initiative at its meeting last Tuesday. It was decided to table the proposal for two weeks.

According to the proposed answer, the partial or total dismantling of the dam is not a realistic option at present. For example, the definition of a dam as a building protected by a town plan speaks against it.

According to the proposal, the demolition of the dam and the construction of a fishing route to the western branch would be more expensive than the planned rehabilitation of the eastern branch.