If the application is approved, renovation of Huittinen sports field could start next summer

Johanna Kalaoja in Huittinen Sports Field. Picture: Joonas Sillanpää

Antoine Soulaire, original text Joonas Sillanpää

The Huittinen City Council decided on last Monday that the city’s central sports field will undergo a comprehensive renovation, including the addition of a covered grandstand. The covered seating will make it possible to host national championship events.

The Technical Committee had initially proposed a full renovation in its November meeting, recommending that the City Council approve the project and apply for a state grant for sports facility construction. However, the original proposal did not include a covered grandstand. The City Council decided to add it without increasing the budget.

The condition of the sports field has been a topic of public discussion for years, with plans for renovation repeatedly delayed. Last fall, the investment decision was pushed to 2026. However, the City Council decided in November to allocate funding for the project sooner.

The investment program for 2025–2027 reserves €1,050,000 for the renovation of the central sports field over the next two years. Of this, €150,000 is budgeted for 2025 for planning and initial work, while €900,000 is set aside for 2026 for project implementation. A state grant of €300,000 is a prerequisite for the renovation to proceed.

The proposal to the Technical Committee was prepared by City Earthworks Manager Johanna Kalaoja, who emphasized the positive impact the renovation would have on residents’ well-being and how it aligns with the city’s strategic goals.

Currently, Kalaoja is busy preparing a comprehensive renovation plan to be included in the grant application, which must be submitted by the end of the year.

“We’ve had meetings with architects, and we have five weeks to complete the plan. It’s a bit of a rush,” she said.

In addition to general and structural plans, the permit application for a new announcer’s tower must be submitted for the grant application. The state grant is crucial for the project, and if it isn’t approved, the matter will return to the Technical Committee, City Council, and City Board for reconsideration.

The sports field requires a complete overhaul, as basic maintenance wouldn’t be sufficient due to the deteriorated condition of the underlying layers.

“The base asphalt is clogged, so water doesn’t drain through but remains on the surface. It needs to be replaced,” explained Kalaoja. A new irrigation system and pipelines may also need to be installed.

The renovation will include the base, track surface, grass field, event areas, grandstand, announcer’s booth, and the construction of a perimeter fence. Lighting for the field is also part of the preliminary plans.

The state grant decision is expected in May 2025, and one of the conditions is that work begins by the following autumn. Construction is scheduled to start in fall 2025, with the main work taking place in summer 2026.

The new sports field is expected to be ready for use by spring 2027.

“The field will still be in use next summer, but it will be out of service in 2026,” Kalaoja added.

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