Helsinki extends Suvilahti DIY skatepark’s lease until replacement opens

Helsinki will allow the Suvilahti DIY skatepark to remain open until a temporary replacement is completed next summer, Yle reports. The city had previously planned to demolish the park this autumn.

The replacement will be built near the Hanasaari power plant, about 200 metres from the current park. Construction is expected to begin next spring, with the new facility scheduled to open in July.

The city said on Monday that construction of streets around the existing skatepark will be rescheduled. The first stages of that work are expected to begin in late autumn or winter, but will not affect the skatepark.

Suvilahti DIY has operated in the Kalasatama district for 15 years. It was designed and built by skateboarders, and its name comes from the English phrase “do it yourself”. The park is Finland’s largest concrete skatepark built by skateboarders themselves.

The city plans to demolish the park because new streets will be built in the area as part of Kalasatama’s development. A permanent skatepark is also planned for Hanasaari, but its location will be decided through an international design competition connected to the area’s development.

Both the temporary and permanent parks will differ from Suvilahti DIY because they must serve different user groups, including children. “This is not Suvilahti DIY 2.0, but a city-funded place for hobbies,” skateboarder Sakari Leskinen told Yle earlier this year.

The current park was originally intended to be temporary, but its lease has been extended several times. The city said it is waiting for the decision of Lupa- ja valvontavirasto, a public permit and supervision authority, on a proposal to preserve the park and an application seeking to prevent its demolition.

The proposal was submitted by supporters and friends of the skatepark and the surrounding area. The city is waiting for the authority’s ruling. An administrative court has previously rejected an appeal concerning the area’s detailed plan.

The changes in Suvilahti may also eventually affect festivals. Tuska and Flow are expected to continue in the area for several more years, but Tuska could move to Käpylä sports park and Flow to another location in central Helsinki as construction progresses.

Housing and an entertainment complex called Event Hub are also planned for the area. The schedule for the complex has not yet been announced.