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Participatory budgeting in Lahti

Propose ideas, develop, vote – join us in developing Lahti!

Next ideation-development-voting round starts on January 2025. 

Do you want to have a say in the future of Lahti and your neighbourhood? Participatory budgeting (PB) is your chance to submit ideas and influence how the City’s participatory budget is spent. The ideation phase welcomes all residents of Lahti to submit their ideas for the development of their own neighbourhood or the city as a whole.

The total budget for implementing ideas is 200,000 euros. The money will be split into five equal portions between the southern, northern, eastern and central areas of the city as well as city-wide projects.

You can see the geographical division for participatory budgeting here.

Your idea must fall under one of the following themes:

  • Community
  • Well-being of children and youth
  • Sustainability

The sustainability theme also covers the renovation of existing infrastructure.

How are ideas evaluated?

Experts from the City organisation will review all ideas to evaluate their feasibility. To be considered, ideas must be

  • legal,
  • within the City organisation’s purview and implementable during one year,
  • related to one of four themes: Well-being of children and youth, Community, or Sustainability,
  • within budget (up to EUR 40,000 per area),
  • maintainable by the City organisation without, for example, incurring unsustainable running costs or having to hire permanent staff,
  • non-commercial, non-discriminatory and supportive of the principle of equality.

 

People decide, the City implements.

Schedule

  • Lahti residents of all ages can submit their ideas to the City of Lahti during the ideation phase.

    Ideas can be proposed for any of the areas. The proposed idea must be linked to one of the four themes and be realizable by the City. The City has the right to further develop and edit the ideas.

    Before you submit your idea, please consider the following:

    • Does your idea fall within the City organisation’s competence and purview?
      For example, the City is not responsible for running cafés.
    • Can your idea be implemented within the constraints of the participatory budget? The maximum budget per idea is EUR 40,000. For example, the budget is not big enough to build a skatepark (the estimated cost of a skatepark is EUR 500,000).
    • Which area of the city does your idea relate to? Click here for a map showing the geographical division.

    You can submit as many ideas as you wish, as long as you submit them one at a time.

    Experts from the City organisation will review all ideas submitted by members of the public to evaluate their feasibility.

    By submitting an idea, you give the City the right to revise it and take it further. Only ideas that satisfy the evaluation criteria will be considered.

  • Comment on ideas on the ideation website or come along to joint development workshops on line.

    Ideas can also proceed directly from the ideation phase to the voting phase.

  • Vote for your favourite ideas on the website or on a paper ballot at your local library or the Palvelutori Service Centre. Residents of all ages are welcome to vote. You can vote only once.

  • The ideas that attract the most votes in 2025 will be implemented during 2026.

Participatory budgeting 2023-2024

171 ideas went to the vote. 5098 residents voted between May and June 2023, which is 8% more than last round.

A total of 41 ideas, selected based on the votes, will be implemented in the year 2024. The well-being and leisure board of Lahti has approved the results of the voting process on August 16, 2023. If the budget for the idea that succeeded in the voting exceeds the remaining regional budget (up to 40,000 euros), the next most voted idea that can be implemented within the allocated funds will be chosen. Please see all the implemented ideas and their votes under the regional headings.

  • 1. Ice Track on Lake Vesijärvi
    • Votes: 892
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by Sports Services (City procures the service as an outsourced service)

    2. Shared Tool Rental Point
    • Votes: 522
    • Estimated Cost: 1,000 euros
    • The Shared Tool Rental Point will be implemented at Lahti Service Point, on the 2nd floor of the Trion Shopping Center, integrated with Lahti-Point.
    • Implementation by Participation and Welfare Services.

    3. Free Sports Opportunities for Youth
    • Votes: 509
    • Estimated Cost: 10,000 euros
    • Implementation by Sports Services

    4. Beehive in Lahti, Honey for Locals
    • Votes: 479
    • Estimated Cost: 2,000 euros
    • Implementation by Environmental Services

    5. Sports Hall as a Play Area for Children in Winter
    • Votes: 462
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by Sports Services

    6. Nepsy Loan Center in the Library
    • Votes: 457
    • Estimated Cost: 500 euros
    • Implementation by Library Services

    7. Rhododendron Park
    • Votes: 421
    • Estimated Cost: 15,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Planning and Technology

    8. Wibit Course in the Outdoor Swimming Pool in Summer
    • Votes: 408
    • Estimated Cost: 3,000 euros
    • Implementation by Sports Services

    9. Guided Tours to Lahti’s Lean-tos
    • Votes: 311
    • Estimated cost: 1,000 euros
    • Implementation by Environmental Services

  • 1. Trunk Flea Market in the Market Square during summers
    • Votes: 548
    • Estimated Cost: 1,000 euros
    • Implementation by Event Services

    2. Lend Kick Sleds and Cross-Country Skates for free
    • Votes: 428
    • Estimated Cost: 4,500 euros
    • Implementation by Participation and Welfare Services
    • The lending point in collaboration with Restaurant Nosturi starting from January 31, 2024.

    3. Enhancing Attractiveness in the City Center through Events and Activities
    • Votes: 421
    • Estimated Cost: 10,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Planning

    4. Summer at the Market Square
    • Votes: 385
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by Event Services

    5. Bicycle Maintenance Point in the City Center
    • Votes: 380
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Infrastructure Planning

    6. Lively Group for the Elderly in Fellmanni Park
    • Votes: 275
    • Estimated Cost: 1,500 euros
    • Implementation by Wellamo Institute

    7. Rainbow – Street Painting in Lanunaukio
    • Votes: 263
    • Estimated Cost: 2,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Planning

    8. Hopscotch Grids on Pedestrian Paths
    • Votes: 262
    • Estimated Cost: 2,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Planning and Technology

    9. Sports Event for Seniors in Radiomäki Park
    • Votes: 207
    • Estimated Cost: 1,500 euros
    • Implementation by Sports Services

    10. Lahti Arena in the Market Square
    • Votes: 198
    • Estimated Cost: 1,000 euros
    • Implementation by Event Services

    11. “Parking Spot” for People with Memory Disorders at the Service Point
    • Votes: 194
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by Participation and Welfare Services

    12. Ski School: Skating Style
    • Votes: 139
    • Estimated Cost: 1,000 euros
    • Implementation by Sports Services

  • 1. Additional Trash Bins for the Southern Area
    • Votes: 585
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Technology/Infrastructure.

    2. Meadows Instead of Lawns
    • Votes: 554
    • Estimated Cost: 4,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Technology/Infrastructure.

    3. Disc Golf Course in Southern Lahti
    • Votes: 535
    • Estimated Cost: 30,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Planning and Technology.

    4. Birdhouses in Kankola
    • Votes: 496
    • Estimated Cost: 1,000 euros
    • Implementation by Environmental Services.

     

  • 1. Additional Trash Bins for Nastola
    • Votes: 554
    • Estimated Cost: 3,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Technology/Infrastructure.

    2. Renovation of the Campfire Site at Sylvöjärvi Recreation Beach
    • Votes: 513
    • Estimated Cost: 3,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Technology/Infrastructure.

    3. Meadow in Nastola Church Village
    • Votes: 502
    • Estimated Cost: 4,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Technology/Infrastructure.

    4. Table Set for the Nature Conservation Area at Villähteen Haikkarinniemi
    • Votes: 471
    • Estimated Cost: 500 euros
    • Implementation by Environmental Services.

    5. Ball Wall and Basketball Hoop in Kujala
    • Votes: 436
    • Estimated Cost: 2,500 euros
    • Implementation by City Planning and Technology.

    6. Rentable Sports Equipment
    • Votes: 423
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by Sports Services.

    7. Development of Vanhankartano Park
    • Votes: 385
    • Estimated Cost: 10,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Planning and Technology.

    8. Expansion of the Disc Golf Course in Villähde
    • Votes: 383
    • Estimated Cost: 10,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Planning and Technology.

  • 1. Renewal of Boardwalks at Lake Merrasjärvi
    • Votes: 647
    • Estimated Cost: 15,000 euros
    • Implementation by Environmental Services and City Technology/Infrastructure.

    2. Additional Trash Bins
    • Votes: 541
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Technology/Infrastructure.

    3. Ice Road to Lake Alasenjärvi
    • Votes: 460
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by Sports Services.

    4. Conversion of Lawns to Meadows at Ankkurinranta
    • Votes: 390
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Technology/Infrastructure.

    5. Meadows in Ruoriniemi
    • Votes: 389
    • Estimated Cost: 3,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Technology/Infrastructure.

    6. Free Sausage Grilling Event in Mukkula
    • Votes: 340
    • Estimated Cost: 1,000 euros
    • Implementation by Environmental Services.

    7. Football Goals in Kunnas
    • Votes: 317
    • Estimated Cost: 5,000 euros
    • Implementation by Sports Services.

    8. Putting Basket near Merrasoja Disc Golf Course
    • Votes: 286
    • Estimated Cost: 1,000 euros
    • Implementation by City Technology/Infrastructure

Participatory budgeting ideas in 2021/2022

A total of 4,691 members of the public – almost 4% of Lahti’s population – voted in the last round of participatory budgeting. Children and adolescents were particularly active, and the number of voters aged under 18 years doubled compared to the previous round of participatory budgeting in 2020.

A total of 33 ideas submitted by the public were implemented based on the votes. The total budget was EUR 200,000.

The most popular idea with 1,358 votes was ‘Enlisting youth to clean up the city’ (EUR 8,000). The implementation phase will be coordinated by City of Lahti Youth Services, which will mobilise a team of young people aged between 17 and 29 years to pick litter, weed invasive species and clear woodland of forestry waste. The PB funds will pay for, among other things, travel expenses incurred from scouting out areas in need of tidying up and training events designed to promote the well-being and social empowerment of young people in Lahti.

The most popular idea relating to the south of the city was ‘Opening a hobby horse track in Laune Family Park’ (EUR 1,000). The hobby horse track received a total of 918 votes, and the idea will be implemented by the City of Lahti Public Works Department in collaboration with a partner.

The winning idea for the east of the city was ‘Extending the Linnaistensuo nature trail’ (EUR 4,000), which attracted 1,048 votes. The City of Lahti Urban Environment Division has taken charge of the project, which involves investigating the potential of turning the Linnaistensuo nature trail into a circular route.

The winner in the north of the city with 945 votes was an idea to start providing ‘Fishing-rod hire in Ankkuri’ (EUR 2,000). The idea will be implemented by the City of Lahti Urban Environment Division and the City of Lahti Public Works Department in collaboration with the Ankkuri Residents’ Association.

The most popular idea in the city centre was ‘Guarded bicycle parking in the Market Square’ (EUR 5,000), which was also among the ideas submitted in the previous year’s round of participatory budgeting. This time around, the idea received 1,066 votes. The new bicycle parking facility will be managed by the City of Lahti Public Works Department and the City of Lahti Urban Planning Department, and it will be built in collaboration with the youth action group Inspis ry.

Participatory budgeting coordinators in Lahti