Joyful, Bright and a more Mobile Oulu!
Joyful means that I want to take part in building a more vibrant Oulu, which invests in culture and leisure. The European Capital of Culture in 2026 will be a great showcase, but even after that investments in culture must continue. A lively city full of events is also a thriving city!
Major art institutions such as the Oulu Theatre, Oulu Symphony, and the Oulu Museum and Science Center, and grassroots activities both need investments. Art institutions must ensure that culture is accessible to different population groups, as it enhances people’s well-being. Oulu must continue to strongly invest in children’s and youth culture.
Brightness means making decisions that look to the future. We need to invest especially in the well-being and education of children and the youth, protect our local nature, and make Oulu carbon-neutral by 2030. A city that looks to the future also needs investments in walking, cycling, and public transport.
The city should be designed with pedestrians and cyclists in mind. We need more pleasant walking routes, new cycle paths, and renovated bike routes. In downtown Oulu, cyclists should be guided away from the sidewalks by making cycling on the road safer. Bicycle parking should be made effortless regardless of the season: let’s establish more covered and secure bike parking stations in the city centre, at schools, workplaces, and near bus stops.
Let’s build a city where everyone can move around without a car, too. Residents of Oulu’s new residential areas must also be able to commute easily by bus to work, school, errands, and hobbies. Among the ten largest cities in Finland, Oulu’s investment in public transport per capita is the smallest. This needs to be improved – Oulu residents deserve efficient public transport! Let’s put an end to overcrowded bus trips by adding more routes and services.
A more Mobile Oulu means creating an urban environment that encourages Oulu residents of all ages, from babies to grannies, to move. The joy of movement should be accessible to everyone. My dream is a pleasant city that encourages physical activity – a city, where children can easily move independently by bike, on foot, or by bus to school and hobbies.
Let’s ensure that there are ample opportunities for activities across the city so that children can go to their hobbies independently. Let’s lower driving speeds and build narrower roads to make independent movement safer for children. A city that is good and pleasant for children is often good for everyone else too. Let’s make walking routes accessible and improve the quality of winter maintenance so that it is easier to move around with wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers. Streets belong to everyone!