The Sports and Exercise Committee has approved the operation plan for 2025: several major events for Espoo
The Sports and Exercise Committee held a meeting on 6 February 2025. In addition to events, the focus areas for 2025 include the development of local sports facilities and the construction of new sports facilities in cooperation with clubs and other communities.
This year, the events held in Espoo include the Finnish Athletics Championships (also known as Kalevan kisat), the Week of Finnish Championships, the World Championships for goalball clubs, TeamGym Nordic Championships, junior basketball event Espoo Liikkuu Tournament and the Elisa Masters Espoo e-sports event.
Leo Heiskanen, the Chair of the Sports Committee, finds it important that events for all types of different sports are organised in Espoo.
“Sports events offer new experiences to the people of Espoo and create a sense of community. It is great that many sports have established themselves in Espoo, but it is always great to get new events for new sports in the city,” says Heiskanen.
Leppävaara Sports Park’s areas to be completed and new sports facilities to be built around Espoo
Leppävaara Sports Park’s artificial ice and artificial turf fields, tennis courts and family park will be completed this year. This will bring the Sports Park to the national top level.
When it comes to new sports facilities, new fitness stairs will be built in Kauklahti this year, for example. Progress is being made in the planning of the new disc golf course in Ämmäsmäki and extension of the mountain bike track in Espoo Central Park. The planning of the skateboarding area of Laaksolahti Sports Park is also progressing and the aim is to complete the area during 2026.
Developing adapted physical activity and physical activity for people over 75 years of age
The city supports clubs in organising groups for adapted physical activity. This way, clubs can organise a variety of adapted physical activities for residents.
A development plan for adapted physical activity is now being prepared. The plan will map out in more detail who uses the services and who would benefit most from them.
“People belonging to special groups are often excluded from services, which is why it is important to increase the number of physical activities specifically aimed at them,” says Martti Merra, Sports Director.
Another important target group is people over 75 years of age, whose number is constantly increasing. The number of sports groups targeted at them will be increased this year.
Seeking new ways of getting children and young people to move
The Leiki ja liiku activities of early childhood education and care groups will also be expanded throughout Espoo this year. Currently there are activities in Leppävaara, Tapiola, Central Espoo and Espoonlahti. Leiki ja liiku activities will also start in Matinkylä in the autumn.
The Exercise Through Games project funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture will increase the daily physical activity of pupils in early childhood education and care, comprehensive school and upper secondary education. The project brings different types of digital sports games to schools and early childhood education and care units. For example, gamified treadmills or other games in which the body is used as a game controller.
Physical activity counselling for upper secondary students will be developed through a project implemented in cooperation with the Growth and Learning Sector.
The Sports and Exercise Committee clarified the ambiguities related to the rental price group of youth and student organisations
The Sports and Exercise Committee decided on VAT increases in November 2024, and the booking fee for sports facilities for Espoo-based youth and student organisations was then entered in a different price category than previously in the Sports and Exercise Committee meeting held in April. The Committee now specified that the price category entered in the April decision will remain valid until 30 June 2025.
As of 1 July 2025, price group 1 applies only to sports activities of youth and student organisations of people under the age of 20. Youth and student organisation groups of people over 20 will pay the same rent as adult sports groups.
The marina rules have been updated
The Sports and Exercise Committee updated the marina rules and added, for example, a fee for neglecting to clean up boat berths. The Committee also specified the responsibilities of boat owners. The renewal of the docks in the city’s ports will continue.
In addition, the Sports and Exercise Committee took note of the preliminary financial statements of the Budget and Strategy Interim Report of the Sports and Physical Education profit centre for the fourth quarter of 2024.