Joensuu has experienced several weeks of hot weather. While the sunshine has been nice, the heat is also making life harder for residents. To help, the City of Joensuu is opening the spectator stands of Mehtimäki Ice Hall as a public cooling space starting Wednesday, July 30. The space will be open every day from 10:00 to 18:00.

You can enter the hall through the main doors on the Länsikatu side. Since there is ice in the hall, the air is much colder than outside. Toilets are available, but there are no other services.

“We want to give people a place to escape the heat and help reduce the pressure on basic healthcare,” says Ville Leinonen, the city’s emergency and safety manager. “It’s a good idea to bring a water bottle and warm clothes so you don’t get cold. Regular training sessions are happening on the ice, so there might be something to watch while you cool down.”

Hot apartments can be a health risk, especially for older people. There are only a few cool public spaces in Joensuu. The city hopes that shops and other businesses will also offer cool spaces for people to stay in.

“This unusually long heatwave can be very hard, especially for people with health issues. If you have an air conditioner, now is a great time to invite relatives over,” Leinonen adds.

The city is working with the volunteer rescue service Vapepa to organize the cooling space at the ice hall.