Rovaniemi light park operator says city broke its promise

The operator of a light park in Rovaniemi’s riverside Koskipuisto park says the city broke its promise after the attraction was not allowed to continue for a second winter, Yle reports. Heikki Kouvo estimates that he has lost about 200,000 euros on the tourism project.

Kouvo, who runs a Halloween-themed light park in Helsinki, says he invested in the Rovaniemi attraction because he understood that it could operate there for three consecutive winters.

“The rug was pulled out from under my feet,” Kouvo told Yle.

He says city officials verbally indicated that the park could continue for two further winters if the site was left in good condition. Kouvo says he maintained and cleaned the area carefully.

The city’s new criteria require the operator to present storytelling linked to local culture. Products sold at the park must be made or designed in Finland. The use of lights must be restrained, with slow changes, and the experience must include tranquillity, respect for nature and silence.

Kouvo says he invested heavily in the project, including 16 igloos, two log cabins, tracked all-terrain vehicles and other infrastructure. Transporting the equipment to Rovaniemi cost about 30,000 euros, he says.

All the park’s equipment remains in storage in Rovaniemi, costing him about 3,000 euros a month. He now plans to sell the contents of the 10-container storage facility and focus on his Helsinki operation.

Rovaniemi technical director Pertti Onkalo says the city’s agreement with Kouvo covered only one year. He describes last winter as a trial to determine what kind of winter activities could take place in Koskipuisto.

Onkalo says Kouvo could have applied to continue with minor changes. He also says the city was disappointed that only one application was submitted for the park.

Päivi Alaoja, chair of the city’s technical committee, says the criteria were intended to take into account both residents’ and tourism businesses’ perspectives. She acknowledges that the conditions may have been too strict.

The only applicant was the foreign company Lumice. Its plan is to build an experience park from snow, ice and lights for the next two winter seasons.

Lumice’s application cannot be approved in its current form. The company is not registered in the entrepreneurs’ register and is expected to obtain permission to operate in Finland and provide more details about its proposal.

The technical committee will consider the application at its meeting next Tuesday. If Lumice does not meet the criteria, Koskipuisto may remain in its natural state next winter.