From nightclub to library: Vantaa gets a new library at Jumbo
Housed in the Jumbo shopping centre, the library will cost the city nearly €600,000 a year in rent.
A new library, dubbed Jumbo Library, is set to open in Vantaa this month. The library occupies the former site of a nightclub that once drew the city's nightlife crowd. Hailing from the same neighborhood, Finnish nightlife entrepreneur Sedu Koskinen once ran this club. The library, however, is set to bring a peaceful atmosphere, a stark contrast to its former nightlife counterpart.
Service supervisor Marjo Päivärinta emphasized the library's focus on acoustics, citing the choice of ceiling materials, carpets, textiles, and calm lighting. Päivärinta mentioned the library users' long-standing desire for a quieter environment. Previously housed at the International School of Vantaa (ISV), the library will now occupy a more spacious location at Jumbo, measuring around 1,400 square meters.
The move, however, has not been without controversy. Some argue that schools are better suited for libraries than shopping centres. Critics have also questioned the cost involved, with the City of Vantaa paying over 580,000 euros annually in rent under a 15-year lease. The City has defended the move by highlighting the area's growth and the increasing number of ISV pupils, prompting the need for a larger library space.
Written by urgent.news from Yle News Finland's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
