City centre - a nest of immorality or a safe living room?

The cities safety agendas were used as a background information and the interviewees’ ideas, aims and experiences of co-operation were compared with the aims of the safety agendas. An independent academic evaluation of the examined city centres as physical-functional environments was built.

The real problems of the city centres in Hämeenlinna and Kerava were the unpleasant places like the surroundings of railway stations, some parks along with the fronts of some shops and newsagents. The safety work groups brought up different issues and kept the safety planning involved in the everyday life.

The visibility of police was considered to increase security and especially the feelings of security. Businesses were eager to invest into joint security patrolling and to cctv cameras. Many of the CPTED based recommendations became concrete during the projects in Hämeenlinna and Kerava. By improving lighting in Hämeenlinna Kirkkopuisto park and clearing up of bushes as well as installing benches in Kerava Aurinkomäki the places became more pleasant and were considered to be safer than before. Plantations were set so that visibility could be maintained, public toilets were installed into the centres and joint regulations were created for the city centre area, e.g. rules on skating and setting up of posters.

The project started in 2005 and is still running.
Last review: October 2017.