In the middle of winter it was time to head up north for our steering committee meeting and a pilot site visit in Tampere, Finland. Upon arrival, we were greeted by Olli and Carl, the representatives from our local project partner Ecofellows. as well as a beautiful winter weather. We stayed at the Scandic Rosendahl Hotel, which offered stunning views directly over the frozen Pyhäjärvi, which is one of the two lakes of the Tampere pilot site. As a hotel chain, Scandic is a true pioneer in sustainable operations, and our meeting began with an interesting presentation from the hotel manager about everything Scandic has done over the years for sustainability.
Like our previous meetings, the steering committee meeting in Tampere was very intense and rewarding. We had long discussions about the progress of the project, got information about the progression of all work packages, agreed on important goals and objectives, and confirmed that our project is progressing smoothly and purposefully according to the plan. After a long meeting day, we also had the opportunity to relax in the sauna and literally dive into local water activities through ice swimming. On the final day of the meeting we went on a skating tour on the ice of Näsijärvi, which was a great experience showcasing the diverse ways Tampere can utilize the opportunities provided by the waterways year-round.
A warm thank you to Ekokumppanit for their hospitality. The project continues to move forward at a good pace, and the next meeting will take place in the fall in Ireland, which is also one of our pilot sites.
