Töölönlahti Summer Park Playground

What is Helsinki's best playground? Where can you find a play park suitable for older children too? And what about a playground near the city center? Helsinki has over 200 playgrounds and just over 60 play parks. But do you know where to find one of Helsinki's newest playgrounds?

Töölönlahti's new summer park opened on July 18, 2024. The new summer park was created as a trial area based on residents' wishes for the upcoming renovation of Töölönlahti Park. If I understand correctly, the area is temporary and it has realized wishes and ideas from Helsinki residents: meadows, seating areas, a water play area, beach volleyball courts, and more nature in the heart of Helsinki. For years, the area has mainly had sparse grass and been full of geese, so this is definitely a huge improvement and leaves hope for an even better Töölönlahti Park. The park has fenced areas in many places, intended to keep geese away from the renovated park area.

*Töölönlahti summer park has lovely planted areas and meadows blooming in August.*

Töölönlahti's newest playground is only a small part of the park and consists mainly of wooden play equipment and small huts on lovely beach sand. The main attraction of Töölönlahti summer park's play area is a small water play zone! Three water points on soft sand, plus the park has (still under construction fencing at the time of photography) a few water jets rising from the ground that can be adjusted.

*The wooden climbing structure proved somewhat challenging and unfortunately doesn't serve all user groups of the playground.*

*Töölönlahti summer park's playground has a seesaw, a climbing structure, small play huts, a wooden maze, and a water play area.*

Töölönlahti summer park is quite a nice overall experience. The playground isn't particularly large and doesn't offer anything special in itself. There aren't many shaded areas—only the small huts offer brief shelter, along with the umbrellas in the park. The park's sand base is worth noting: water play creates mess and you should think about shoe choices and pack spare clothes

*The water play area is partially sand-based, so spare clothes and water-resistant shoes are worth bringing along.*

*Töölönlahti summer park's water play area.*

*Töölönlahti summer park also has water jets rising from the ground. Photo taken on opening day, when the area was still partly under construction.*

At the time of photography, on opening day, the park is partly still incomplete and the final result and long-term durability of the water play features can only be evaluated later. On sunny weather at least it will certainly be hot here. And those geese have now moved to poop at Kansalaistor and in front of the Music Center. In August 2024, during the Night of the Arts, giant swings, hammocks, and a small stage area will be completed at Töölönlahti summer park, with programming scheduled right on Night of the Arts night.

Pienten Helsinki's comment:
Let's hope this is just the beginning of the Töölönlahti revitalization project! More trees, a unique wow-factor playground and replacing empty fields with pleasant park areas would be a wonderful addition! If this is all there is, I'd say it's a missed opportunity. A visit to Turku's Adventure Park was a reminder of how to create pleasant city parks for all ages: animals, imaginative playgrounds, traffic park, swimming opportunities, mini-golf, trees and shaded picnic areas, events. Helsinki's version in this prime location still leaves much room for improvement.