Many visitors came to Tomtebo strand during Winter Fun
-The day is a way to both mark the beginning of the development of Sjöparken while also seizing the opportunity to capture ideas about what both children and adults would like to do in the park during the winter, says Axel Thorén, landscape architect at Streets and Parks, Umeå Municipality.
Ida Hillebjörk, project manager from Umecom, hosted a well-received workshop where all children were able to express their wishes for the park by painting and creating in the snow. Here she is with the twins Walter and Werner, 8 years old.
Paw Patrol, rainbow theme, and ice skating if the children have their say.
With the help of the citizen workshop Umecom, children were able to suggest what they would like to do in the park through creative activities using caramel-colored spray bottles. Among other things, a snow sculpture of Fortnite was created. The activity was popular among many of the children.
-I asked them if they were mayors, what would they fill this place with. There will be many Paw Patrol sculptures in the park and a rainbow theme, if the children have their say,' says Ida Hillebjörk, project manager at Umecom.
More input on what to do in the park came from both adults and children during the quiz walk, where one of the questions was – what would you like to do in Sjöparken? A total of 130 suggestions for various activities were received. Among the wishes were ice skating, sledding, skiing, grilling, and sauna bathing.
-The suggestions we have received will be taken into account in future work on the park. It will still be a while before anything concrete starts happening in the park. The park will evolve over several years together with input from the residents of Umeå, says Axel Thorén.
A meeting place for everyone.
A major focus at Tomtebo Beach is sustainability, and the neighborhood will become a crucial piece in Umeå's urban development, connecting Tomtebo with the University area.
-The whole vision of Tomtebo strand is that the neighborhood should promote sustainability from all perspectives. The neighborhood should also welcome everyone, not just those who will live there in the future. That's why it felt completely right to arrange this day during the winter break so that more people can use the space during the week even after the event," says Sofia Forssén, communicator at Umeå Municipality and project manager for the event.
The collaboration resulted in a wide range of activities.
Thanks to the event being organized in collaboration with several stakeholders, a wide range of activities were offered, including a well-prepared sledding hill, ski tracks, snow painting, sports trials, refreshments, quiz walks, and barbecue facilities. Stora Coop Tomtebo made sure everyone maintained their blood sugar levels with blueberry soup, fruit, and candy. GUIF organized sports trials, and Fritidsbanken lent out sleds, sledges, snow discs, and bobsleds to anyone who wanted to try the hill.
Also present during the day were the Tomtebo Beach stakeholders HSB and Skanska. 'It feels great to be able to participate in organizing such an activity.
-For us, who will be building homes in the future, it's valuable to meet the residents of Umeå to hear what qualities they demand for Tomtebo Beach and, on this occasion, for Sjöparken, says Stina Sjöblom, business developer at Skanska.
Many residents of Umeå came on foot or by bus.
Recurring events
It was the first time that Tomtebo strand-day was organized in Sjöparken, and the ambition is to have more days like this.
-We hope that this will become a recurring event where we can continue to inspire sustainability, get to know the neighborhood in various ways, and continue to gather input for the development of Tomtebo Beach, says Sofia Forssén, communicator at Umeå Municipality and project manager for the event.
We hope you had as much fun as we did. Thank you for coming!
Winter Fun at Tomtebo Beach was organized by the stakeholders of Tomtebo Beach: Umeå Municipality, HSB, NCC, PEAB, Riksbyggen, Rikshem, Skanska, Slättö, Umeå Energi, and Vakin. In collaboration with Fritidsbanken, Umecom, Stora Coop Tomtebo, and GUIF.