Traction Centre
The regional development project for the traction power centre was launched in spring 2017.
Information about the region
The planning area is an approximately 13.7 hectare plot of land in Joutenlahti, in the centre of the city of Varkaus. The area is located along highway 5, in the immediate vicinity of the intersection of the highway and Jäppiläntie.
The nearest major cities are Kuopio (75 km), Mikkeli (85 km), Jyväskylä (120 km) and Joensuu (125 km). Within about half a kilometre of the area there is a business centre and market, as well as a bus and rail passenger centre. The nearest airport is in Kuopio.
The aim of the project is to create an attractive centre for the area, consisting of an activity or a set of building(s), structures and courtyards. The site has a building capacity of 22 500 m2 , of which approximately 10 000 m2 is reserved for a leisure centre. A science centre and other leisure and tourism facilities are planned alongside the hypermarket. A partner is being sought to develop the leisure centre.
Target timetable for the whole project
The streets in the area are ready and the hypermarket is open. The zoning of the central part of the site, block 308, was submitted as a proposal for consultation in autumn 2021 and approved by the City Council on 24 January 2022.
Preparations are underway to establish a Science Centre Foundation.
A partnership agreement for the Experience Centre was signed in early 2020 and the search for operators has started.
For more information on the Attraction Centre, please contact:
Planning: planner Laura Backman, laura.backman@varkaus.fi, tel. 044 743 6550
Design of an experience centre
The attraction centre area will be developed into a tourist attraction that will make extensive use of the area. The concept of the experience centre in the area has been designed in collaboration with Futurice Oy, Heureka Overseas Productions Oy and Papua Chocolate. Urban residents and entrepreneurs have been involved in the design.
A survey was conducted among entrepreneurs in the Varkaus area to collect their views, hopes, fears and ideas about the Vetovoimakeskus development project. A summary of the survey results can be found here
The concept work for the experience centre has been completed. The concept is a shared vision between the client and the designer of the best possible solution and will support further design work. As the design of the Experience Centre progresses, some of the things written down as a result of this work will live on, be refined and may even change. It is part of the process. However, this concept can always be revisited and decisions can be reflected against this material.
A short summary of the concept can be found in the following annex.
The concept will serve as a starting point for the design of the experience centre, which will start early in the year. The design will be carried out by a developer with whom a partnership agreement has been signed.
Partnership agreement
On 24 June 2019, the City Council approved the principles of the partnership agreement with the developer. The aim of the agreement is to implement an Experience Centre in line with the city's objectives.
The content of the contract has been negotiated with WasaGroup Oy and approved by the City Council on 16 December 2019 and signed on 30 January 2020. Based on the contract, the partner will start the design of the building and the search and negotiation for operators in January. The construction is conditional on finding a sufficient number of operators for the centre and obtaining the approval of the partner's financier for the project. For the city, success is conditional on the achievement of the project's objectives.
Power plant status plan
In the light of the additional information received, the plan was proposed for approval, with the exception of block 308. The proposal was approved by the City Council on 26 August 2019.
The approved site plan material is here:
BLOCK 308
The Attraction Center Block 308 Site Plan is for Block 308 in the 5th Ward. The area is located in the middle of Sorvik Street, Viilukuja, Handicraft Street and Vanerikuja. The zoning plan covers an area of approximately 1,4 ha and the total building capacity of the area is 5 300 k-m2. The area is reserved for commercial development.
The zoning plan for block 308 is in the process of being approved.
Street and water management planning for the traction power centre
In connection with the site plan for the power plant, a master plan was drawn up for the streets and traffic volumes and traffic orientation were studied. In the same context, measures to limit traffic volumes on the Snake Road were examined.
In the first phase of the implementation planning, a pavement plan has been drawn up for the new street link. The plans include the construction of a new Sorvikatu from Jäppilänti to the area and a new turning lane on Jäppilänti. Construction of this will be completed in January and the new street will serve as the road access for the hypermarket construction.
The second phase will include the design of the remaining streets in the project area, the water supply in the area and the slowdowns on the Snake's Mane Road. Changes to other streets and intersections in the area, signage and traffic management will be planned by the end of 2020. Sitowise Oy will be the designer. Plans for the project area are expected to be completed by the end of February, allowing construction to start in May. A public meeting on the plans for the area will be held in February.
On 25 February 2020, the Technical Committee decided to open the plans for Käsityökatu, Sorvikatu, Viilukuja and Vanerikuja to public inspection in accordance with Section 43 of the Land Use and Building Decree.The plans were available for inspection from 27 February to 18 March 2020 at the Technical Office, 4th floor of the City Hall, Ahlströminkatu 6, and on the internet.
Studies carried out in connection with the plan
Slowing down measures on the Snake Road
Traffic study
Stormwater study
Science Centre
The Science Centre, located in the Experience Centre, has been designed in collaboration with Heureka Overseas Productions Oy, a subsidiary of Heureka Science Centre. The plan is to provide permanent and seasonal exhibition space, as well as a science-related activity area with a sports dimension.
Decisions on the funding of the Science Centre will be made in spring 2020. The current plan is for the Science Centre to be run by a foundation, with the city as one of the founding members. Other funding opportunities and partners will be explored before decisions are made.