Oulu’s residents decided how the Participatory Budgeting’s 500 000 € will be spent – the city will implement 12 proposals

94 proposals all over the city were up for vote, and 12 proposals were chosen for implementation. This year, the top proposal was “Recess equipment for schools” with 1236 votes. 

All proposals received a lot of votes, and the results were very close to the last minute. 

Implementations all over the city 

5119 citizens voted this year. All citizens of Oulu, starting from middle schoolers, had the right to vote. Everyone could give a maximum of eight votes.  

Most of the implementations cover multiple regions or the entire city. Popular topics were environment, exercise, and preventative operations. 

Based on the results, it can be seen that citizens wanted to share the sum with multiple smaller targets. This time, no proposal with a budget of over 100 000 € progressed into implementation.  

Proposals supporting children and youth rose to the top 

Seven of the winning proposals especially target children, youth, and families with children. 

“The everyday lives of children and youth are clearly visible in the results. Residents wanted to support their wellbeing in multiple ways: exercise during the school day, meals, youth work, and events. Also, the results show the residents consider the comfort and functionality of environments to be important”, the city of Oulu’s Senior Specialist Anne Kippola-Rinne states. 

Proposals that received the most votes and vote distribution 

1. Recess equipment for schools – 90 000 € (1 236 votes) 
   The money is used to procure recess equipment to all basic education schools in Oulu, including private schools. The goal is to increase activity during the school day for children and young people. Equipment will be procured for 67 schools based on facility size and number of students. The preliminary survey showed that schools are asking for ball game equipment, balls and nets, circus equipment, outdoor table tennis, hobby horses, hula hoops, goals, jumping ropes, frisbees, sleds, snow shovels, baseball gloves, and sidewalk chalk. 

2. New flower meadows in the city – 40 000 € (1 063 votes) 
   The money is used to build impressive flower meadows in central areas in different parts of the city.   

3. Ice hockey goals, football goal nets, and basketball baskets at schools – 45 000 € (880 votes) 
   The money is used to procure a total of 30 ice hockey goals, 30 football goal nets, and 30 metal basketball baskets for schools all over Oulu. The equipment can also be used by residents outside of school hours.   

4. Renovating dressing rooms at beaches – 50 000 € (873 votes) 
   The money is used to check the dressing rooms at all official swimming beaches in the city. The rooms that need renovation will be renovated. New rooms will be built if needed.   

5. Free-of-charge meals for youth (ages 18–29) in the summer of 2027 – 9 000 € (852 votes) 
   The money is used to organize free-of-charge meals for youth between ages 18–29 in the summer of 2027 in an easily accessible outdoor space. Warm meals would be offered on weekdays at designated times. There will be a limited number of meals; served to people in order of arrival without registration beforehand. The meals will open to all people within the age range. Some guided activities and opportunities for encounters can be organized in connection with the meals. The activity will support coping with everyday lives and increase wellbeing during the summer.   

6. Free-of-charge meals for families with children in Tuira, Martinniemi, Oulunsalo, and Yli-Ii – 8 000 € (829 votes) 
   The money is used to organize free-of-charge meals for families with children during 2027 in Yli-Ii, Oulunsalo, Martinniemi, and Tuira in connection with events. Meals for a maximum of 200 participants will be reserved for each event.   

7. Mobile youth work unit in the Oulu region – 100 000 € (784 votes) 
   The mobile youth work unit Outo-Car has been driving around Oulu for many summers already. The money is used to expand operations by renting another car for 2027, which will circle the Oulu region every week for about ten months. Youth will participate in the activities and route planning.    

8. Free-of-charge band evening for youth on fall break 2027 – 35 000 € (734 votes) 
   The money is used to organize a free-of-charge and open band evening in the Oulu Hall on the fall break of 2027. Young people will get to choose the headliner from possible options.   

9. Cleaning the sand of the Nallikari Beach – 50 000 € (733 votes) 
   The money is used to clean the sand and add more sand to the Nallikari Beach.   

10. Blossoming trees on coastal pathways – 20 000 € (726 votes) 
    The money is used to plant blossoming trees along coastal pathways.  

11. Larger waste bins in the city – 50 000 € (692 votes) 
    The money is used to procure one hundred new 100-liter waste bins to replace the current 30-liter bins.   

12. Free-of-charge events for children in libraries – 10 000 € (675 votes) 
    The money is used to organize free-of-charge events for children in libraries. Only 3 000 € remained in the budget for the implementation, so it will be implemented on a reduced scale. 

The full vote distribution can be seen on the Osallistu Oulu website 

The city implements the winning proposals during the year 2027. 
The progress of the implementations can be followed on the Osallistu Oulu website. 

Thank you to all residents who participated in the ideation and vote!