Mustikkamaa Explained

Mustikkamaa (in Finnish ˈmustikːɑˌmɑː/; Swedish: Blåbärslandet; literally translates to "blueberry land") is an island in the Gulf of Finland, some to the east of the city centre of Helsinki, and in size.[1]

Leisure use

It is owned by the City of Helsinki, and used for public recreational and leisure activities such as jogging, hiking, cross-country skiing, tennis and other ballgames.

There is an open-air summer theatre, restaurant and marina, and the island is connected via a pedestrian bridge to the adjacent island of Korkeasaari, where the Helsinki zoo is located.

Bridges

In 1964, a bridge was built to connect Mustikkamaa to the larger island of Kulosaari.

In 2016, the new Isoisänsilta bridge was opened, connecting Mustikkamaa also to the Kalasatama neighbourhood on the Helsinki mainland.[2]

Thermal energy storage

In the 1980s, three large rock caverns were excavated under Mustikkamaa, to store oil reserves. In 2018, the Helsinki municipal energy company HELEN began converting these into a thermal energy storage facility, capable of holding of warm (or warmer) water, with the aim of reducing Helsinki's carbon emissions by over 20,000 tons annually.[3] [4] [5]

References

60.1806°N 24.9917°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mustikkamaa . Hel.fi . City of Helsinki . 8 November 2020.
  2. News: Uusi silta yhdistää Kalasataman ja Mustikkamaan ja johdattaa aina Korkeasaareen saakka . New bridge connects Kalasatama to Mustikkamaa, and leads all the way to Korkeasaari . 8 November 2020 . Yle . 1 June 2016 . fi.
  3. News: Mustikkamaan alla on valtava luola, jota pian käytetään Helsingin lämmittämiseen – Kuvat ja video näyttävät, millaista kallion uumenissa on . 8 November 2020 . Helsingin Sanomat . 11 October 2018 . fi.
  4. News: Helen alkaa rakentaa maailman suurinta lämpövarastoa meren pohjan alapuolelle – 260 000 kuutiota vähintään 45-asteista vettä . 8 November 2020 . Tekniikka & Talous . 11 October 2018 . fi.
  5. Web site: Construction of Finland's largest rock cavern heat storage facility starts . Helen.fi . Helsinki Energy . 8 November 2020.