Case Kontula: Entrepreneurship is participation in the place and its communities

Our experiment made it clear that the involvement of our target group in the development of the city goes much deeper than participation in planning. Entrepreneurs understand the surrounding communities, residents and customers. They know what works and what doesn’t work at the mall. Many have dreams of business development and new business ideas based on the needs of the residents of Kontula and East Helsinki more broadly. Planning should understand this place-based inclusiveness.

For many entrepreneurs I meet, relocating their business does not seem like a viable option. Their customers are in Kontula or are used to doing their shopping there. Some businesses have been operating in the area for a long time and felt that there was nowhere else they could locate their business except in Kontula Mall. Moving elsewhere would mean ’starting from scratch’ again, as one entrepreneur described it in his survey responses. Or for some, it is not financially feasible to acquire new premises. The loans or investments made in the existing premises attach those entrepreneurs to this particular location.

” My own shop is important. It is important for customers and brings together people from a wide area. Such a service is necessary. I know what my customers need. I have also invested a lot in it.”

Entrepreneur, encounter on round

On the other hand, the entrepreneurs of the mall are experiencing the effects of urban development in real time. If planning impact assessment is to be truly interactive, it should start well before the planning process begins and with these stakeholders experiencing the impacts. For example, the pressure caused by the closure of other malls in East Helsinki and the conflicts between entrepreneurs over the planning of the Kontula Mall came up in the discussions. Most were concerned about the future of their own business after the change. However, some were confident that their own business is not threatened and that they will continue to operate in the new mall, while realising that many other similar businesses will have to close down.

”I own the business and have rented the place. The timing of the renovation is crucial for my business because I have children and a family. It’s really important that I have a profitable business. I am concerned that there are difficult times ahead.”

(Entrepreneur, survey response)

The impact of planning and regeneration goes beyond the impact on the continuity of business in the area. Some business owners have already faced financial hardship during the planning process as the value of their business premises has fallen and they are unable to sell. Others are concerned about the impact of the change on their business. One entrepreneur I met stressed to me that owning a business means for them the opportunity to do culturally acceptable work. Work and entrepreneurship is important and part of their identity. The comments of the entrepreneurs in the survey and in the discussions at the mall reveal a deep concern about their family’s livelihood. The most difficult part of this experiment was to confront the fear and despair of entrepreneurs in the most difficult situations. Planning also has a significant impact on people’s well-being during the planning process.

”I have found it difficult to get clear information about planning and my own rights and future.”

(Entrepreneur, survey response)

The entrepreneurs who took part in our experiment wanted more information on the planning timetable so that they could plan their lives. Several of the entrepreneurs have received information on planning from real estate companies. However, the information was not understandable or clear. Some expressed the feeling that information was being withheld.

Through our pilot, we understand how to overcome cultural barriers and enable participation in a multicultural and multilingual place. However, we do not yet know how information is treated in the planning process. Or whether our experiment will affect the way we implement planning participation in the future. Does this have an impact?