Kolinport service station delays reopening for third time

The reopening of the nationally known Kolinport service station in Juuka, North Karelia, has been delayed again, Yle reports. Owner Jukka Suninen says the station will not open in September as previously planned.

Suninen attributed the delay to long delivery times and an energy renovation that has progressed more slowly than expected.

Renovation work inside the station has continued since midsummer and is now about halfway complete, according to Suninen. No work has been carried out in the yard during the summer.

“We have to wait for the fuel dispensers until the end of October, and the electric vehicle charging points will also arrive well into the autumn. We cannot influence delivery times, which were longer than expected,” Suninen said.

His aim is to start fuel distribution and electric vehicle charging at the same time, before winter. The yard will not be asphalted until next summer because the work depends on the charging points.

Tourists visit the station daily to ask why it is still closed. Suninen said the flow of visitors had eased somewhat in recent weeks as the summer season had ended.

Third delay to the reopening

The architecturally distinctive station was completed along Highway 6 in Juuka in 1992. It was designed by architects Olavi Koponen and Juhani Katainen and represents postmodernism and futurism.

Kolinport became nationally known after its previous owners applied for permission to demolish the building. The Finnish Association of Architects, Safa, was among those opposing the plan. The municipality of Juuka eventually protected the building through its detailed plan.

Suninen bought Kolinport from the bankruptcy estate late last year. He initially said the station would reopen in June. When that did not happen, the reopening was postponed to September.

“I still believe in this place. The location is excellent, and customers know it across Finland,” Suninen said.

Iltalehti was the first to report the latest delay.