Arabia and Toukola seaside park

The seaside park is located between Vanhankaupunginlahti and the Arabianranta district, stretching from Vanhankaupunginkoski to Hermannin rantatie. The area consists of the Arabia and Toukola seaside parks and Verkatehtaanpuisto park. 

The park is a popular recreational area for residents, with many people cycling and walking through it every day. In the future, the use of the park will increase with the new residential areas of Kyläsaari and Hermanninranta rising nearby. The park will continue south along Hermanninranta in the 2030s.

Arabianbaana cycle path plan

Arabianbaana, the cycle route connecting Kalasatama and Viikki, is planned for the seaside park in the city plan. The cycle path is planned near residential buildings, where it will be separated from the pedestrian route by a green lane with a width of approximately three metres. 

When completed, the Arabianbaana cycle path will be the primary cycling route in the seaside park. According to estimates, the amount of bicycle traffic in the seaside park will quadruple by 2035.  Directing cycling traffic to a lane dedicated to it makes cycling in the area faster and easier and helps make the rest of the park less busy to facilitate walking and hanging out.

Helsinki’s Baanas are cycling routes of the highest quality. They allow for smooth and steady cycling between the city centre, residential areas and key workplace areas. In the future, the Baanas will form a coherent regional network of cycle paths in Helsinki that will extend roughly 140 kilometres.

Column wall repair

The Arabianranta district was once built on unstable clay and reclaimed soil. The residential blocks are built on top of pillars embedded in the ground, known as the ‘column wall'. The lawn area in the park is not stabilised with pillars, which causes the soil to sink towards the sea, leading to potholes, cracks and bumps in the park. The repair of the column wall is necessary for safety reasons and will be carried out during the construction of the Baana route. Around 140 trees will be felled due to the construction and renovation work in the park. One hundred of these trees need to be removed due to repairs to the side of the column wall. The trees to be removed will be replaced with new ones. The park will also undergo other renovation work in the future. Any tree removal required for renovation work will be examined separately.   

Vegetation and landscape management

Planning for the renovation of the park will start in 2026. The aim is to develop vegetation and activities in the park. New vegetation will be added in the southern and central parts of the park, but the aim is also to maintain the park's characteristic open feel and long vistas. The park's grasslands will be converted into meadows with diverse species. Larger meadows will contribute to biodiversity.

New functions

The most significant new structures are the recreational pier and new bridge [HJ3]  . The bridge will be built in the southern part of the park to connect the routes running on both sides of Kumpulanpuro creek. The underground section of Kumpulanpuro creek will be opened up and made into an open creek bed. The recreational pier will be located on the seafront at Kaj Franckin katu. The pier is intended for recreational use only and swimming will be prohibited. The shallow water makes swimming impossible, and there may be unknown waste material and debris on the seabed. 

The frisbee golf courses in Arabianranta sports park will be moved to a more open area towards the seafront. The ski trails running near the seafront will be maintained. Benches along the paths and sets of tables and benches will be added to the park. A barbecue area and a grassy area for playing and lounging will be created in the southern part of the park. The City is also looking into the possibility of bringing other activities to the park.