The Vitality Board exercised its right of withdrawal: no streets of its own for glass artists

22.1.2026 News Participate and influence Vitality Glass city Decision making

The Vitality Committee discussed the naming of streets after glass artists at its meeting on 22 January 2026. At the beginning of the year, Vitality Director Anna-Riitta Kujala made an official decision on the matter, according to which Mattilantie and part of Etelän Viertotie would be changed to Helena Tynellin katu and the first part of Eteläninen Viertotie to Nanny Stillin katu.

The chairman of the Life Force Committee, Mika Arminen (sd.), exercised the right of subrogation and brought it to the committee's consideration. Subrogation refers to the right of the city government or committees to take up a matter on which a lower authority in the organization has made a decision.

The Vitality Committee decided that the street names will not be changed. If it wishes, the city government can exercise its right of withdrawal against the Vitality Committee's decision.

Hearings and refreshments in the background

In the spring of 2025, the city consulted property owners about changing the names of the streets. As a result of the consultation, the city received twelve reminders on the subject. In addition, city residents provided feedback on the subject in the city's electronic feedback service and discussed the subject vigorously on social media. The opinions regarding the name change were evenly divided between those in favor and those against.

The city's expert body for naming issues, the naming committee, discussed the changes to the street names in spring 2025. The committee was in favor of the name changes. Because the topic aroused a lot of public discussion, the Vitality Committee was asked to provide its opinion on the name issue. The committee did not support the name change.

Cities name streets in principle in the local plan. The law also allows for changing the name of a street by a separate decision. In Riihimäki, changes to street names are decided by the planning manager or a vitality director with the same authority.