Turku Student Village Foundation Yearbook 2018

190 apartments at Aitiopaikka were finished by the end of 2018. The planning for the new unit Tyyssija, that began during the fall of 2017, continued, and the plans required for the invitation to tender were finished during the fall of 2018. In December 2018 the invitation to tender for the works was published, and the period for making bids ended in February 2018. The winner of the invitation to tender will be decided by negotiations. A participation and valuation plan was made for the planning of Kylänkulma during the fall of 2018. The planning preparations and the detailed planning of the construction will continue during the spring of 2019. The planning and construction plans will be finished during the year 2019. The renovations aimed at making Iltakajo more comfortable were finished, when the final building (house A) of the unit was renovated during the summer of 2018.

In all its operations TYS puts emphasis on solutions with which we can lessen the use of nonrenewable natural resources. The new housing units feature several solutions which reduce the carbon footprint of occupancy. The residents are also actively informed of the possibilities to reduce the environmental impact caused by their occupancy.

In 2018, the waste disposal was managed by Lassila & Tikanoja Plc. All the housing units of TYS have a recycling area, featuring recycling bins for waste that can be burned, organic waste, paper, metal, glass, and cardboard. A separate collection of plastic waste was extended to all units during the spring of 2018. Between August and September, the residents of Nummenranta answered a survey about waste disposal, with the aim of gathering information about the waste disposal units used by the residents, and their recycling habits. Based on the answers, the sizing of the bins and the interval between their emptying times were optimized, in order to raise the degree of recycling. The modifications to the waste disposal units took place in December 2018.

In 2017 the advisory board of the tenant committees decided to establish their own event committee. The aim was that through the committee larger events where all the tenants can participate could be organized for the tenants of the Turku Student Village Foundation. After a successful first year the committee was re-established in 2018. Volunteers from different tenant committees went aboard. About six people have been actively involved. Additionally, other volunteers have participated in various events.

”Our wish has been to bring all the tenants together, and to create possibilities for doing things together”, says Tero Ahlgren, a member of the event committee.

The committee has considered it important that their activities are open to all tenants. For example, families have been taken into account in the planning of all of the events, and anyone can join the activities and the planning of events. At the same time the tenant bodies of the different housing units have met new faces.

”The idea has been all along that via the event committee we can create ideas for tenant activities for the smaller housing units, that could equally have tenant activities but don’t yet have any, of how common activities can be organized, and how the events can be at their most successful”, says Katri, a member of the committee.

During the year two larger events were organized, a midsummer trip to Vepsä island, and a New Year’s party. In the midsummer event a boat took the participants to Vepsä island, where the program included getting to know the island and barbecuing. The New Year’s event was organized at the Q house, where the program began during the day with a children’s event and continued with an evening party for the adults. In between there was a firework display for everyone.

”Both events had a lot of participants. In midsummer Vepsä had about 80, and at New Year’s there were about a hundred people. All the residents were represented, from those living alone to families and exchange students”, says Katri.

The event committee members were also consulting with the Cooperative WIMO, who organized the Block Party at the Student Village. The hope of the event committee members was that there would also be program for children. They did get some in the beginning of the day. The event was organized for the first time, and it will get another installment during the fall 2019.