The winter swimming site in the inner harbour has been opened!

The winter swimming site is located at the end of Hietasaarenkatu. It has two heated changing rooms, one for women and one for men. The dock leading to the swimming area is kept warm by a heating mat, and the dock area is also equipped with lights.

The opening itself in the ice covering the sea is kept open by a water pump.

The winter swimming area is open every day from 6.00 am to 9.00 pm, and it is meant to be available for all Vaasa residents, free of charge.

The changing rooms are also open to all, and inside them you will find benches and coat racks. In addition, both changing rooms have four lockers, which can be locked. The swimmers should bring their own padlocks.

– The city will not replace items or property lost in the changing rooms or in the winter swimming area in general, so you can bring your own padlock to secure the lockers, says Jarmo Latvala, service manager at the city’s green areas team.

Submit ideas for how to use €15 000 in January

In the City of Vaasa’s participatory budgeting system, residents can, once a year, propose their own ideas for how the €15 000 should be spent.

The application process for the 2024 participatory budgeting target starts on 22 January, and you can propose your own ideas until 28 February. The winner will be announced in May!

The aim of participatory budgeting is to involve citizens in the development of their environment and to raise awareness of ways in which public money can be spent.

Participatory budgeting sites in previous years:

• 2023: Winter swimming area in the Inner Harbour
• 2022: Toys and other equipment for day-care centres to keep children active
• 2021: flower meadow in Vaskiluoto
• 2020: cherry orchard in Onkilahti Park