Vaasa - Life and Energy
Thousands of happy stories Sunny Vaasa is the energy capital of the north. We use this term to cover all forms of vitality here, which can be seen in our good employment rate, innovation and social equality.
* Vaasa was founded by King Charles IX in 1606
The Vaasa region has the most companies relative to population, high levels of education, the longest life expectancy in the country, good income levels and reasonable costs of living. The region is also one of the most international areas in Finland. Vaasa is home to a hundred different nationalities, most of whom study or work in energy-related solutions. The Vaasa region is one of Finland's growth centres. Bilingualism plays an essential part in the smooth running of everyday life in Vaasa. Here, you also have the option to study, read a newspaper or go to the theatre in Swedish.
* The town burned to the ground in 1852 and was moved to its present location in 1862
Vaasa is an easy place to live due to the short distances between everything. It is a place where history meets the present, culture meets nature, and modern shopping centres meet the market hall. The combination of small parks and impressive architecture create a seaside resort with a unique flair. Vaasa is also known as the gateway to Finland's only World Natural Heritage Site – the Kvarken archipelago.
* Population more than 67,000 - Finnish approx. 69% - Swedish approx. 23% - Other languages approx. 8%
* Architect C.A. Setterberg designed the new town plan of Vaasa and important buildings * The capital of Finland 29.1.- 3.5.1918
* 473 km of shoreline
Welcome to Vaasa! www.vaasa.fi/en www.facebook.com/vaasankaupunki www.instagram.com/vaasavasa www.twitter.com/vaasavasa www.youtube.com/cityofvaasa
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Cover photo: Katja Lösönen
Photo: Katja Lรถsรถnen
Vaasa is easy to reach Vaasa is always easy to reach, however you come here. Located along the Blue Highway, Vaasa is the provincial centre of Ostrobothnia – also known as the pearl of the West Coast. Vaasa is only a short hop away from Europe and the world because of its many direct air connections. The trip from the airport to the city centre takes only 10 minutes. By train the journey also runs smoothly. From Helsinki, the journey with the Pendolino train only takes 3.5 hours. The trains and long distance buses arrive directly in the city centre. The daily four-hour ferry service from Vaasa to Umeå is the shortest and the northernmost sea route to Sweden Everything in Vaasa is within walking or cycling distance; queues and congestion are virtually unknown here. You can easily park your car under the market square, which is right in the middle of the shopping centres, numerous restaurants, cafés and services. Vaasa local transport operates inside the city, including to the airport. Trains and long-distance buses arrive directly to the city centre.
www.visitvaasa.fi/en
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* Vaasa airport is one of Finland's busiest * High-speed 3,5 h electrified rail connection from Vaasa to Helsinki * Ferry service 4 h/ 80 km to Umeå * More than 163 km cycle paths * The central underground carpark has 840 parking spaces
Photo: Katja Lรถsรถnen
Living well Vaasa provides great opportunities for living in the middle of the city as well in the natural countryside. As is often the case, splendid river, beach or sea vistas can be viewed from many a window. Residential areas merge into landscapes in harmony with nature. Services, parks and a sea atmosphere are combined in the heart of the city. In the downtown section, old office buildings and historically valuable industrial premises have been converted for residential use. Superb building plots for private homes can be found among new residential areas cropping up in different parts of the city. Short commutes mean more leisure time. Here you can easily get to work, often in less than 15 minutes! Quality of life can also be measured in material values: residences, summer cottages and business premises have much more value in Vaasa than in the densely-populated regions of Finland. .
* The biggest leasers Pikipruukki and the Student Housing Foundation VOAS provide approximately 6,000 flats * A new central residential area is currently under development both in Klemettilä and on the site of the old bus station * An individual and ecologically high level principal plan for the former hippodrome area will be completed by the end of 2016, which also means the start of pre-construction. * An award-winning pedestrian precinct * Finland's oldest summer cottage culture
www.vaasa.fi/en www.pikipruukki.com/en www.voas.fi/en
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Photo: Mikko Lehtimäki
The engine of the energy sector The largest energy technology cluster of the Nordic Countries is concentrated in the Vaasa region, which is focused on solving particular global energy challenges. No problem is too complex for us. The companies operating in the cluster provide remarkable know-how, especially in the solutions for distributed energy production, energy distribution and consumption. Electric motors, power stations, wind and solar power solutions, electricity distribution and smart grids are just some examples to be noted in this area. The Ministry of Employment and the Economy selected Vaasa to join the Growth Pact, which is included in the Finnish government programme for the years 2016–2018. The objective of the nationally significant growth sectors is to increase both business and the workforce as well as to create greater flexibility in work across municipal boundaries. The main theme of “intelligent and sustainable energy solutions” form the base of the export industries from Vaasa. One of the city's goals is to be carbon neutral by 2035. As such, the Vaasa region was appointed as one of the engines for the whole country under the theme “sustainable energy solutions”. The City invests in its own operations regarding energy efficiency and environmental awareness – Vaasa recently entered into the EU's Covenant of Mayors initiative, which is committed to a 20% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020. Energy industrial know-how is strengthened by the co-operation between enterprises and universities of applied sciences. The universities and centres of higher education in Vaasa are oriented to a greater extent towards energy technology; here graduate students generally find employment quickly. www.energyvaasa.fi
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Energy Vaasa *
Over 140 companies in the energy industry
* 10,000 employees, which is 25% of Finland's total energy-sector manpower * Total turnover approx. 4.4 billion Euros * Contribution to export over 80% * 12% of Finland's total exports in the technology industry and 30% in the energy technology industry * Internationally notable Vaasa EnergyWeek in March
Photo: Katja Lรถsรถnen
Work for the working population The employment rate in the Vaasa region is one of the best in Finland. This explains why Vaasa is also a daily work destination for many residents in the neighbouring municipalities. The ratio between the number of people working in the area and the employed labour force living in the area is 115% (workplace self-sufficiency), which makes the Vaasa region one of the highest placed in the whole country. Vaasa's largest employer, Vaasa City, has an ongoing need for a new workforce; young summer workers, students for temporary posts as well as newly graduated and experienced professionals for many challenging work assignments. The Vaasa region has always been known for its entrepreneurial spirit. Different companies are vital to the wellbeing of the entire region; the conditions for starting a business here are favourable. A vibrant industrial structure is a key factor in explaining the high level of employment in the Vaasa region. However, jobs are not only built on a single factory or sector, but also come from an array of economies. The favourable development of Vaasa and the entire region is driven by major energy centres of excellence.
http://www.vaasa.fi/en/services/vacancies http://vaasaregion.fi/business/pays-specialise/ www.linkedin.com/company/city-of-vaasa
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* The region's employment rate is one of the best in Finland * Income levels are nearly the same as in the metropolitan area * The region is one of Finland's entrepreneurially-densest areas * Significant employers are - Vaasa City - Wärtsilä - Central Hospital - ABB - The Finnish State - Danfoss - Vaasa University - The KPO Group
Photo: Katja Lรถsรถnen
You're never too old to learn It is no coincidence that Vaasa's street view seems to be surprisingly young - every fifth person walking towards you is a university student. In proportion to the population, Vaasa is the largest university city in Finland. Our six institutions of higher education provide 13,000 students with the opportunity to study over 30 multilingual qualifications in three languages. Vaasa makes sense as an international university city! The bilingual vocational institutes and upper-secondary schools ensure handicraft skills and provide facilities for post-graduate studies. Compulsory education after preschool can be spiced-up with music classes or language-immersion learning. Vaasa is the pioneer of language-immersion in Swedish. The adult education centres together with the University of the Third Age (U3A) provide different evening classes in both Finnish and Swedish for the educational pleasure of the city's residents.
www.vaasaregion.fi/study-vaasa
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* More than 30% of Vaasa residents have a university degree * Annually, close to 900 international study places for research students and exchange students * Over 4,000 students in adult vocational education * Education and courses in Finnish, Swedish and English - Pioneer in education cooperation between universities in response to business needs
Photo: Katja Lรถsรถnen
Engage in leisure activities Having opportunities to spend time in the nature has an important effect on our happiness. In Vaasa, the nature is always present and close by. Thus, many of the leisure activities are also nature-related. In a coastal city, you can naturally smell the fresh sea air. Hiking trails, jogging tracks and outstanding bicycle paths along the city shoreline provide enchanting ways to enjoy outdoor exercise. In winter, skiing on ice is very popular. Even if you're only an armchair sports fan, you will not remain inactive for long! Vaasa organizes many different events throughout the year, and you can follow league-level sports – Vaasa Sport (ice hockey) in the winter and VPS (football) start their tough battles in the summer. There are countless clubs, associations, as well as many courses to choose from, including visual arts, parachute jumping, ballet dancing, hip hop, and music from the Kuula Musical College to the School of Rock. Because Vaasa is close to the sea, there are many opportunities for boat enthusiasts and yachtsmen. The River Kyrönjoki also attracts canoeing enthusiasts, and devoted ice swimmers take refreshing icy-water dips only a stone's throw from the market square!
www.vaasa.fi/en www.vaasaregion.fi www.vaasanseudunareenat.fi http://www.vaasa.fi/en/naturevaasa
* 7 bathing beaches within 3 km of the market square * Gyms, many outdoor courts and a 27 hole golf course as well as a new 18-basket frisbee golf course * The round open plain of Söderfjärden was created 520 million years ago as a result of a meteorite collision – nowadays the area is a paradise for both birds and ornithologists * The Bothnia Hall is the largest hall for athletics and ball games in Finland, as well as the largest multifunctional hall. An ice hall with 4 rinks as well as a football stadium, which will be completed in the summer 2016, can also be found in the city * There are over 2,000 moorings for boats in the city, and a guest harbour in Vaskiluoto
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Photo: Katja Lรถsรถnen
Soak-up the culture Take a cultural tour of Vaasa! Choose music from rock to opera and symphony concerts. Visit the art museums' spectacular art treasures from the Renaissance and Baroque eras up to modern art. Get acquainted with Vaasa's 400-year history, handicraft villages and tinsmith tradition. Vaasa's two professional theatres, students' theatre or children's theatre provide theatre experiences either in Finnish or Swedish. Children and youngsters can take part in cultural immersion programmes and education in the arts. The School of Rock has raised bands that now even play beyond the borders of Finland. Compared with other cities in Finland, Vaasa invests the most money in culture. Experience the intoxicating lure of culture at the Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art, the Ostrobothnian Museum, Tikanoja Art museum, Vaasa Art Gallery, Culture Barracks (Vaasan Kulttuurikasarmi), Skafferiet Ritz and Doo-Bop Club. The city of music, theatre, dance and visual arts ensures events all year round. Major multiple daylong events gather musicians and music lovers together from around the world.
www.vaasa.fi/en http://www.vaasa.fi/en/koe-vaasa/culture www.visitvaasa.fi/en
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Events in Vaasa -
Polar Sound Festival Vaasa Choir Festival European Food Market Student Theatre Rampen (open-air theatre) Hippiknik Korsholm Music Festival Night of the Arts Vaasa Festival Littfest –literature festival Wildlife Vaasa –nature film festival Halloween Blues
http://vaasaregion.fi/info/leisureactivities/calendar/
Photo: Katja Lรถsรถnen
Go ashore at the homeport of Strömsö Vaasa provides fun for everyone. Get acquainted with our rich culture supply or collect experiences in our unique World Nature Heritage Site. The centre of this vivid bilingual city is situated close to the seashore. The joys of cruising, boating and fishing are available to everybody. During your visit to Vaasa you can have a nice stay at one of the many high-class hotels, a spa hotel on the seashore or a campsite by the sea. Energetic and innovative Vaasa provides charmingly individual meeting rooms for events of all sizes. The main event arrangements run smoothly in this international city. Shopping centres, boutiques, cosy cafés and restaurants can be found close to the market hall and market square. Here you can purchase everything from clothing to cars, from furnishing to design.
www.visitvaasa.fi/en
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Traveller TOP5 * UNESCO Kvarken archipelago natural heritage site * A guided tour leads participants behind the scenes of the lifestyle programme Strömsö * Fascinating archipelago cruises in the summer * The Spa Park Tropiclandia * Cruise on Wasaline to our neighbour; Umeå, Sweden
Photo: Katja Lรถsรถnen
Rocky beauty As one of the world's fastest regions of land uplift, the area of the Vaasa region increases every year by the equivalent of hundreds of football fields. Based on this unique phenomenon, the Kvarken archipelago is the only World Natural Heritage Site of its kind listed in the UNESCO World Heritage list. Our archipelago is one of the youngest landscapes in the world. In fact, a large part of the current city of Vaasa was covered by water as little as 500 years ago. The landscape is under continuous change: new rocks are rising from the sea, islands are growing up close to the mainland - and docks have to be moved continuously. The uniqueness of our archipelago is based on its pristine natural richness and avifauna as well as on the distinctive culture of its settlements. This can all be experienced first-hand, for example, by hiking, biking, canoeing or participating in guided archipelago cruises or bus tours. Take advantage of the opportunity and start to make your acquaintance with the natural heritage landscape at the Kvarken nature centre, Terranova, located in the Ostrobothnian Museum. www.kvarkenworldheritage.fi www.visitvaasa.fi/en
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* The land uplift rate of 8–9 millimetres a year is the fastest rising land uplift phenomenon in the world * The area increases annually by the equivalent of 150 football fields * 5,600 islands and 2,416 kilometres of coastline * The Kvarken archipelago is the only place in the world where you can find 16 endemic species * Finland's longest bridge, the Replot Bridge, connects the World Heritage Site with the mainland
Photo: Jouko Keto
Happy stories continue The foundation for the successful city of Vaasa of the future is already being laid out today. Growing business areas, logistics development on the ground, at sea and in the air, together with innovation and regional co-operation, create a solid foundation upon which our residents can build happy lives for themselves. We pay close attention to innovation, education and workplaces – in order to maintain Vaasa's position as the leading energy technology city in the Nordic countries. One example of such innovative projects is Wasa Station, a large redevelopment project which will replace the old bus station with a multi-purpose centre. This redevelopment will include i.e. a shopping centre, music and congress centre as well as a multi-sports area. Vaasa's strong energy know-how is naturally involved in this top project. The block is designed with advanced energy solutions, so that it could be virtually self-sufficient in energy consumption.The ports, as well as local shipping companies, owned by Vaasa and Umeå in a joint venture, are also looking to the future in order to ensure the continuation of transport and logistics across the Kvarken. One development project in the pipeline is the plan for a modern ferry between Vaasa and Umeå, making use of new technologies and innovative materials. The new ferry will also run on environmentally-friendly fuels. Furthermore, on-going road and air infrastructure projects are a direct response to international demand. www.energyvaasa.fi midwayalignment.eu
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* EnergyLab - laboratory, which will create new opportunities to study the total energy system * SundomSmartgrid – a smart-grid pilot project aimed at improving the reliability of the electricity supply * Technobothnia teaching and research laboratory offers instruction, a connection between universities, companies and other technology centres, and offers a variety of research and development services. * The city of Vaasa along with the pioneer of sustainable municipalities (Finnish Sustainable Communities) network
Dynamic Vaasa is always looking to the future.
Photo: Mikael Matikainen
Layout: Jouko Keto, The City of Vaasa, Graphic service 2017
THE CITY OF VAASA
www.vaasa.fi/en www.visitvaasa.fi/en www.vaasaregion.fi/en
Photo: Katja Lรถsรถnen