Sports and Wellbeing Committee changes criteria for granting exercise wristbands for special groups
At its meeting on 27 November 2025, the Sports and Wellbeing Committee also approved changing room needs assessments at sports facilities, the updated contract terms and rules of the City of Espoo marinas, the principles for organisation grants for the promotion of well-being, health and inclusion, and the draft well-being plan for 2026–2029. In addition, it decided on a pilot project for access control at winter swimming sites.
The price, granting criteria and application process for swimming and gym wristbands for special groups will change from 1 January 2026. The swimming and gym wristbands will be replaced by the Special fitness wristband and Special swimming wristband.
The Special fitness wristband gives access to Espoo swimming pools and gyms. The wristband may be granted to Espoo residents with a significant disability caused by a permanent long-term illness or disability.
The price of a Special fitness wristband is €60. In the future, disability can be verified with a visual impairment card, an EU Disability Card, or a parking card or permit for persons with reduced mobility.
On the other hand, it is possible to purchase a Special fitness wristband using the Kela card codes listed in the criteria for granting a wristband for current special groups, and it can only be used for swimming pools. The price of a wristband is €41.50. Both the Special fitness wristband and Special swimming wristband are valid for one year from the date of purchase.
Both wristbands still include the friend benefit, which allows the holder to bring along an adult friend free of charge. In addition, the holder may bring along an assistant free of charge if the need for an assistant is indicated on the approved certificate.
The applied exercise counselling process will be piloted in 2026. Adapted exercise counselling provides support to those whose physical activity requires personalised solutions due to, for example, an illness, disability or other impairment of functional capacity, and who do not get enough exercise to properly maintain their health.
The right to purchase a Special fitness wristband can be obtained free of charge through adapted exercise counselling, provided that the person belongs to the target group and commits to the offered adapted exercise counselling process.
“I’m relieved that we were able to find a compromise for this difficult issue. Physical activity prevents health problems and maintains functional capacity. Swimming is a particularly important form of exercise for those with long-term illnesses or functional impairments. It’s important to continue preventive work with special groups, and now we are doing just that through modified benefits and adapted exercise counselling,” explains Terhi Valkeapää, Chairperson of the Sports and Wellbeing Committee.
She adds that the Committee hopes to get more statistical data on the effectiveness of these initiatives in 2026 so that it can more effectively examine the reach and profitability of the measures in the future. The Sports and Wellbeing Committee will decide whether to continue the pilot for adapted exercise counselling at the end of 2026.
All new seasonal product for groups eligible for discounted prices at swimming pools and swimming pool gyms
The Sports and Wellbeing Committee also decided on the introduction of a completely new seasonal product. The new Active wristband can be purchased by persons eligible for discounted prices, i.e. unemployed persons, students, conscripts, pensioners and children 7-17 years of age.
The Active wristband is valid at city swimming pools, the outdoor swimming pool and for open gym times. The wristband costs €66 and is valid for 120 days. The Active wristband is available on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on weekends from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Committee approves the principles for organisational grants
The organisation grant for the promotion of health, wellbeing and participation is mainly intended for registered non-profit associations that meet the general grant principles and are not eligible for other grants from the City of Espoo.
For example, grants may be awarded for activities aimed at preventing exclusion or bullying, promoting integration or developing regional equality.
The Committee held a referral discussion on the well-being plan for 2026–2029 and decided to submit a few additional proposals to the well-being plan committees for comments. The wellbeing plan will be submitted for approval at the Sports and Wellbeing Committee meeting in January 2026.
The focus areas of the wellbeing plan are increasing communality, promoting safety and strengthening mental wellbeing. Objectives and metrics for annual monitoring and longer-term monitoring have been defined for each focus area. Age-specific welfare plans have been prepared for the council term.
Units describe their own activities in use plans, which aim to achieve the objectives set for each council term and, in turn, also the objectives of the wellbeing plan.
“The aim has been to more fully integrate the wellbeing plan with the Espoo story and reduce the number of goals. The phenomenon-oriented approach to thinking has been generally considered good, as it is easier for each actor to find perspectives that promote objectives that are based on phenomena. This is a new way to approach the learning process for everyone, and the practice will show whether this is the right, effective way to go,” says Taru Ikäheimonen, Wellbeing Manager for the City of Espoo.
Pilot for changing room access control at the winter swimming area launched in Westend
Access control for the changing rooms at the Westend winter swimming spot will be piloted from 1 January to 31 May 2026. Winter swimming customers must purchase a wristband from the swimming pool onto which a free winter swimming pass will be loaded. The price of the wristband is €10.
The aim is to introduce the access control system for all winter swimming spots by 1 September 2026. Starting next autumn, the seasonal price for a winter swimming pass will be €50.
The changing rooms at City of Espoo winter swimming spots may be accessed free of charge with the requested code. As a rule, use of the door code has gone well, but in recent years, vandalism and misuse of the dressing room have increased. Adopting supervised access control will improve customer safety.
Responses to the Council inquiry on free swimming for 7-17-year-olds
Espoo considers the physical activity, safety and well-being of children and young people to be of paramount importance. Swimming skills are a key part of water safety and can be promoted in many different ways.
Children’s physical activity is particularly affected by the example set by the family as well as their lifestyle habits and economic and social situation. Espoo offers children a wide range of free physical activities. However, these are not being fully exploited.
Free swimming for 7-17-year-olds would be unevenly utilised and, on its own, will not increase physical activity or equality as much as is desired. Those who are already active in recreational activities, exercise frequently and go swimming would benefit the most.
For those who less frequently engage in physical activities, access to free swimming will not increase the number of times they go swimming or learn swimming skills. A more effective way to reach these children and young people is to increase the number of swimming pool visits and swimming instruction in early childhood education and swim classes for school-age children.
In addition, the Committee took note of the third interim report on the budget and strategy of the Sports and Exercise Unit on 31 October 2025, clarifying the terms and conditions of the agreement for boat and winter storage facilities.
Read more on the topics addressed at the meeting.(external link, opens in a new window)