Sports and Wellbeing Committee reviews sports and physical activity fees
New fees will be in force on 1 August 2026. The changes are based on the objective to boost the city’s fee-based incomes.
The Sports and Exercise Committee made this decision in its 23 April 2026 meeting. The friendship benefit of the +68 Sports Wristband will no longer be free. Bringing a friend swimming or to the gym will now cost half of the price group’s ticket. However, the friend can be of any age. The benefit of bringing a friend to the archipelago will be discontinued.
The friend benefit for special fitness wristband is not changing: the user can still bring an adult friend swimming or to the gym for free.
Hourly fees for tennis courts is going up from 5 euros to 10 euros. The prices of winter storage for boats and trailer spots are going up by 10 per cent.
A wristband for changing rooms at winter swimming spots will be introduced, which allows access to all warm dressing rooms at the city’s winter swimming spots. The price of this wristband will be 30 euros, and it will be valid for the entire winter swimming season, i.e. from September to the end of May. The product is loaded in the same wristband that is used for the swimming hall and gym season tickets.
The fees now also include reservation fees for price groups that were previously missing, such as gymnastics sessions at parks, as well as an increase in certain products sold at the swimming hall, such as swimsuits.
Sports grants and grants for adapted physical activity for 2026 allocated
The Sports and Wellbeing Committee distributes 1,429,974 euros every year as sports grants to Espoo-based organisations and an additional 140,026 euros as grants for adapted physical activity.
The distribution of sports grants has emphasized regular physical exercise for under 20-year-old residents and the organisation of easy-to-join activities.
‘Club activities are the foundation of physical activity in Espoo. Over the course of one year, club activities alone facilitate 100 million encounters. With grants, we have sought to help create more affordable hobby opportunities, which is what we will continue to develop in close cooperation with the clubs and the committee,’ says Sports Director Matti Mera.
Espoo residents feel the second most included in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area
The Committee noted the results of the inclusion and wellbeing questionnaire. This is an annual questionnaire that measures the achievement of the objectives of the council term. It is based on THL’s inclusion indicator and the measurement of perceived inclusion.
The results of the indicator show that Espoo residents generally lead a positive lifestyle. Their perception of inclusion is the second highest in the Helsinki Metropolitan Region, only behind Kauniainen. The greatest sense of inclusion is felt by 15–19 and 60–69-year-old residents. This has improved slightly since 2021.
8.3 per cent of the respondents feel very poorly included. Of them, 58.1 per cent are from minority groups.
The Committee also processed the requests for a revised decision and the decisions by public officials.
Read more about the decisions.(external link, opens in a new window)