Finnish Tornio and Swedish Haparanda to start building work on common city centre

Local street joining two nations under way this year

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The project is advancing to build a common city centre for the Finnish and Swedish towns of Tornio and Haparanda.
      Later this year, construction will commence on a local street combining the two towns while crossing the national frontier.
     
"Just now we are clarifying the requirements for common and separated spaces within the 'Eurocity' police station on the border", explains Tornio town planner Jarmo Lokio.
      According to Lokio, the idea is to build a 5,000 to 7,000-square-metre police station that would serve both towns. Next summer, once the station's space requirements have been mapped out, its cost-benefit assessment and financing solutions will be looked into.
      The building of the world's first police station between two independent states is likely to commence in 2008, in the third stage of the project known as PGR: På Gränsen - Rajalla ("On the Border").
      Bids to build the street that will connect the two town centres have already been received. The builder will be decided on shortly.
     
In Haparanda, premises in a planned 15,000-square-metre new shopping centre are also being marketed. The Swedish town has also decided on erecting three buildings for senior citizens in the 'Eurocity' area.
      On the Tornio side, sites are being sought for the senior citizen's activity homes, the building of which should start next summer. Negotiations are under way with two companies over the construction of the entire 'Eurocity' centre.
     
The PGR project was initiated in 1998. In the autumn of 2002, the plans were put at risk, when a slight majority of voters in Haparanda rejected the idea of the common 'Eurocity' centre with the Finnish town of Tornio in a referendum held in connection with the Swedish Parliamentary elections.
      Despite the vote outcome, the local council still decided on pursuing the 'Eurocity' undertaking together with Tornio. 


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish and Swedish border towns plan common city centre (18.11.2002)
  Tornio and Haparanda to join forces as Eurocity (9.7.2001)

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