Vaasa zoning draft draws criticism over possible mosque

Vaasa’s draft zoning plan includes a possible mosque and a minaret in its illustrations, prompting criticism from the Kokoomus municipal council group, Yle reports. The city’s planning director says the draft presents only one possible option and does not commit the city to building a mosque.

The mosque appears in the draft zoning plan for Ristinummi, an area of Vaasa. The plan was presented to the city’s urban environment committee two weeks ago, where it led to a lively exchange, according to Anne-Marie Viinamäki, chair of the Kokoomus council group.

The group said placing a mosque in Ristinummi could increase segregation between areas, complicate the development of the district and make it less attractive to new residents. Viinamäki said the statement followed feedback from residents after media reports highlighted the reference to a mosque in the draft.

She described the inclusion of the word mosque as premature and suggested it may have been an official’s mistake. The group’s view is that any need for a mosque in Vaasa should be considered more broadly.

The Vaasa Muslim community said the mosque shown with a minaret came as news to it. The city has not formally informed the community about plans for Ristinummi.

The community currently has premises on Tiilitehtaankatu in central Vaasa and rents facilities elsewhere for larger events. It said this arrangement is not changing. However, it welcomed the city’s consideration of the community’s needs in its long-term planning and said it would welcome support for continuing its community and integration services, regardless of location.

The community said a minaret is not part of its plans.

Vaasa planning director Päivi Korkealaakso said the mosque was included in the illustrations and captions because of a loosely identified need. She referred to the Muslim community’s previous premises on Palosaari and its current premises in the city centre.

Korkealaakso said the mosque reference may be the first of its kind in Vaasa’s zoning plans. She justified the choice by pointing to Ristinummi’s population profile, noting that many foreign residents live in the area. She added that the city’s area-specific geographic data does not include residents’ religions.

The minaret in the illustration is only one possible design, Korkealaakso said. No concrete project is currently under consideration, and the draft zoning plan would allow several types of use.

The public consultation on the draft begins on Tuesday. Korkealaakso encouraged residents to submit their views, stressing that the plan does not require a mosque to be built.

After the consultation, the plan will be revised and considered first by the urban environment committee. Following objections and statements during the proposal stage, the zoning change will proceed to the city board and ultimately to the municipal council for a decision.