«Health is created and lived by people within the settings of their everyday life; where they learn, work, play, and love.» – The Ottawa Charter, 1986.
Good health is no longer just a private matter, but something that politicians, authorities, and developers are expected to help facilitate.
We recognize that Havnekvartalet’s central location in the cityscape can influence many people’s health and well-being in various ways — and it’s our job to ensure that this influence is a positive one for as many as possible. In the project’s governance document, we have defined goals that align with this.
But how?
In 2024, the municipal council decided that Hammerfest Municipality would join Fremsam — a network for health-promoting communities and part of WHO Healthy Cities. This gives the municipality access to resources that we at Havnekvartalet Utbygging can also benefit from in our project.
We’re in dialogue with the municipal chief medical officers and the children's representative and have received several inputs from them — including both challenges and exciting opportunities. Factors such as noise, wind tunnels, and shade must be considered. These are exactly the kinds of elements that naturally deserve attention in a development project.
New recreational opportunities, social meeting places, attractive offices, and homes with fantastic views are just some of what Havnekvartalet can offer Hammerfest.
Before the Clean Harbor Project, the area where Havnekvartalet now stands was not publicly accessible — so by transforming it into a new city district, the social value of the space has already increased.
From the municipal doctors and the children’s representative, there is also a wish to facilitate sports-related purposes within Havnekvartalet, without specifying exactly what kind.
The idea of building a new swimming facility has surfaced multiple times throughout the project’s consultation rounds since 2020 and has therefore been included in several opportunity studies.
Hammerfest Swimming Club has for several years pointed out that the town’s existing swimming halls are outdated, and research shows that swimming facilities are among the best investments a municipality can make in terms of public health.
Swimming is an activity one can pursue throughout all stages of life — and it is the only sport one can die from if one doesn’t master it.
In the adopted 2025 municipal budget, there are no current plans to assess a new swimming facility in Hammerfest.
However, we at Havnekvartalet believe this is such an important public health measure that we are willing to reserve a site for up to 5 years for a future upgraded swimming facility.
It will then be up to the people to let our elected officials know that this is something the municipality should prioritize in future budget rounds.
Do you have any great ideas for sports facilities or other smart public health initiatives that we could help facilitate at Havnekvartalet?
Send us an email or give us a call.
Text: Katrine Næss
Last updated: 21.03.2025