My Espoo on the Map - Which areas and places do residents of Espoo want to develop?

The My Espoo on the Map survey inspired residents to submit over 4,600 development ideas for different parts of Espoo. The most popular categories for development ideas were transport, recreation and nature.

The survey respondents submitted a total of over 4,600 development ideas, which they described in greater detail in their open-ended survey responses. Residents were given the option of categorising their development ideas based on different themes, which were: housing, transport and mobility, nature and the environment, services, jobs and recreation. Respondents who felt that their idea did not fit into any of these categories also had the option of selecting the ‘Other’ category.

Residents wish for a more pleasant urban environment

An underlying and recurring theme in the submitted development ideas was the desire to improve the pleasantness of residential areas from different perspectives.  

“Soon there won’t be any nature left in the district because of all the ugly and similar-looking buildings,” wrote one resident, criticising additional construction. In fact, many responses expressed concerns that additional construction would lead to the disappearance of natural areas and urban decay. Local forests were also frequently highlighted as being important to residents and needing to be protected from construction.

Many respondents also submitted concrete proposals for area development. Examples include new services for beaches, such as public saunas, sports activities, restaurants and barbecue spots.  Environmental clean-up was also frequently requested.  One resident commented on the Waterfront Walkway by saying: “develop it so that it is not developed too much!”

The cleanliness of the environment and the maintenance of buildings and roads were widely highlighted in the responses. Some residents wished for more waste bins and the cleaning of bushes, but there were also demands for a more comprehensive renewal of the urban landscape. For example, some residents suggested that dilapidated buildings should be replaced with new ones. One resident even proposed covering Länsiväylä with a park-like green deck to reduce noise pollution. 

Residents also submitted plenty of development ideas concerning transport and mobility. Many of these were requests for pedestrian and cycling lanes, speed bumps or the asphalting of specific streets. Many of the proposals appealed to traffic safety: “Building a pedestrian and cycling lane here would make everyday life easier and provide a safe path to the school.”

There were also some proposals for easier parking, new street connections and bus lines to make the journey to and from work easier. In particular, many respondents called for better transverse connections within Espoo, but there were also several proposals for smoother connections with neighbouring cities.

The development ideas submitted via the My Espoo on the Map survey provide a wealth of useful information on how Espoo should be developed based on the wishes of its residents. The most populated places in Espoo, especially the district centres of Espoo centre, Leppävaara and Tapiola, received the most development proposals. The number of development ideas submitted for northern Espoo was low compared to southern Espoo.

Regardless of the area, the responses highlighted numerous concrete measures, both big and small, for improving the pleasantness of the living environment. These proposals will be widely utilised in the City’s upcoming development projects.