"I'd say this is pretty much the perfect city."
What will our hometown look like in 2026, and how will the new strategy help us meet current challenges? Mayor Pekka Timonen considers answers to these and other questions in the editorial of the residents' magazine.
An almost perfect city. This was the bold response given by one of you, residents of Vantaa, in the "Vantaa in 2037" survey conducted in 2024, in which 3,700 children, young people, guardians, and teachers shared their views on what a perfect Vantaa would be like.
The respondents' wishes emphasized a nature-oriented and safe Vantaa, where people live sustainably, engage in creative activities, and settle in smoothly. In the perfect city, there are meeting places for everyone, and no one is left alone. The views of city staff highlighted supporting the well-being and learning of children and young people and ensuring that the city has enough skilled staff.
The opinions of residents and staff were collected deliberately and seriously. They have been valuable material as we have planned the city's new strategy for 2026–2029. The strategy guides the development of Vantaa towards an attractive, sustainably growing city with prosperous residents and successful businesses.
The new strategy also seeks solutions to the challenges of recent years: construction has declined, unemployment has risen, tax revenues have plummeted, and experiences of segregation and insecurity have increased. That is why we need new solutions.
In the coming years, we will balance the economy, but at the same time we will create and develop new things. We will improve housing, raise the level of education and skills of Vantaa residents, and improve investment opportunities for businesses. Public transport must function throughout the city, and Vantaa must offer opportunities for study and employment. Vantaa is a young and international city, where more than half of the residents are under 40 years of age. As a UNICEF Child-Friendly Municipality, we invest a significant part of our budget in children and young people.
Vantaa is at the forefront of global change. We are not waiting for others to decide the city's development. It is important that Vantaa residents of all ages feel that the city is safe and their own. This can be achieved when everyone has a place in the community and the opportunity to live a meaningful life.
A city that strives for perfection will never achieve perfection. A city is always a work in progress – it lives and changes with the world. Vantaa is created together. You, the residents, city staff, communities, partners, and stakeholders, are creating a prosperous and inspiring Vantaa.
The future lives in us!
Pekka Timonen, City Mayor
