My Politics – Fredrik Bergstén

This brings us directly to urban planning, the economy, and the growth that Vichtis needs to secure sufficient resources and high quality. It is crucial to provide our children and young people with a high standard of education. By creating sustainable economic growth, we can ensure that schools have the necessary resources to deliver quality education.

We have, for example, a brand-new school center in southern Nummela, Etelä-Nummelan koulukeskus, which includes the entire Swedish-speaking unit, Vichtis Swedish School, and Daghemmet Aleksandra. Overall, our school network is modern and functions well, and there are many hobby opportunities connected to the school. In Vichtis, children can go from first grade all the way to complete vocational education. This is a significant asset for the municipality, which we can highlight in our marketing.

We need a long-term plan that stretches several decades into the future. How can we, as humans, live in harmony with nature and its conditions? We must teach children to recycle, repair, and reuse existing items. I propose introducing extra hours in the curriculum where students learn practical skills every week, such as sewing their own clothes or recognizing edible plants in nature. The earlier we start with this, the more ingrained it becomes in children and future generations.

It is extremely important that we develop initiatives like the already existing "Hobby Hour." The more children have access to extracurricular activities after school, the more skills and social experiences they gain. It reduces the risk of children becoming isolated or bullied and can also help prevent mental health issues. We need to ensure that all children have access to these opportunities.

We need to further develop the existing extracurricular opportunities and encourage participation in activities after school. One idea is to make it almost mandatory to participate in some form of extracurricular activity. There is also potential to move certain activities, which are usually held in the evenings and on weekends, closer to school hours. This requires cooperation between schools and volunteer efforts, but it is an option we should consider.

We must design areas where people want to live, with a focus on public transportation, such as buses and potentially new rail connections to the capital region and Lohja. Residential plots here in Vichtis should be larger than those closer to Helsinki, but they must not be too expensive. In urban planning, we need to take natural elements into greater consideration – we should not remove all trees, blast all rocks, or build on wetlands that are unsuitable for construction from the start.

We need to quickly present plans for new residential areas close to our urban centers, with plots for row houses, semi-detached houses, detached houses, and single-family homes. Reasonable prices are essential for attracting new households to Vichtis. To achieve environmental goals, we must set requirements for building materials and the construction process itself. The houses should be designed to last at least 100 years and be easy to maintain, contributing to long-term sustainability.

We should plan for larger natural areas around residential zones that are preserved in their natural state. Natural parks with walking paths are preferable to artificial gardens on open fields. Schools and other public places should avoid covering the ground with plastic, rubber, asphalt, or concrete. Instead, we can use sand, grass, or preserve the original natural landscape that was already there.

We should discuss the possibility of the municipality building and managing properties that are rented out at reasonable prices. In urban centers, the price level is already quite high, making it difficult for many to afford to buy housing. By having the municipality build and manage housing, we can better ensure that construction is sustainable and that properties are maintained in a sustainable manner over time.

We need more public transportation than what is currently available. The Länsirata project can contribute to growth in the long term, not only for us in Vichtis but also for neighboring municipalities all the way to Helsinki. By developing local transportation with new tracks, more bus lines, and investing in existing infrastructure, we can create conditions for growth while offering more environmentally friendly ways to travel.

Economic growth is essential for providing more resources, such as staff and additional teaching, for our children and youth. It means that we can invest in improved opportunities to learn more languages, starting from preschool and continuing upwards. Language skills give children important tools for the future. We already have a strong educational foundation, but we must ensure that there are attractive residential areas for families, which in turn will lead to more children and students in our schools. With growth, we also create better conditions for education in the long term.

To create sustainable housing in Vichtis, we should avoid building too densely and instead preserve natural areas around us. It is important not to replace existing nature with unnecessary lawns or other artificial elements. Economic measures primarily involve making plots available for the municipality to sell or lease, but these plots must be large enough to create a pleasant environment. At the same time, we need to keep price levels down to attract more households to settle here.

Public transportation, especially in the long term, is one of the best ways to reduce emissions and promote sustainable mobility. It is about creating connections within the municipality and between Vichtis and neighboring municipalities, all the way to Helsinki. Trains are an efficient and environmentally friendly way to travel, and they can contribute to sustainable development. When it comes to energy projects, such as green power plants, these often require larger investments than our municipality alone can manage. Therefore, we should advocate for nuclear power on a general level. Additionally, Vichtis should be open and actively interested in participating in the planning and construction of green energy facilities together with other municipalities when opportunities arise. At the same time, we must focus on reducing energy consumption within our municipality.

Growth, of course, means that we need to build new structures, but it is important that we do so sustainably. Buildings should be planned to last at least 100 years and be easy to maintain with smart technical solutions. Energy-efficient buildings that use natural materials with proven long-term durability are a crucial strategy. At the same time, we should avoid building on unsuitable sites, such as fields or wetlands. It is important that every building site is well-suited for development to avoid problems in the future.

One of our biggest challenges is attracting more residents to Vichtis. More residents mean more revenue for the municipality, more students in our schools, more workers, and more jobs. Growth is the foundation of our entire economic system. With the right urban planning and good infrastructure, such as rail and bus connections, we can attract people from other municipalities and even abroad. We need to market Vichtis as a nature-oriented paradise, just 30 minutes from Helsinki, and highlight that Microsoft, a global giant, is building one of its data centers right here in our municipality. This is a unique advantage that we should leverage to stimulate growth.