The national parade on the Independence Day 6 December will affect traffic and parking arrangements in Kouvola. During the parade events, the public is kindly asked to move on foot downtown, in the area of the Finnish baseball stadium, Sumulaaksonkatu, Salpausselänkatu, and Kymen Lukko.
On 6 December, the Finnish Defence Forces will celebrate the Independence Day in Kouvola from the morning until 16:00. The programme will include a flag-raising ceremony at Kouvola City Hall, wreath-laying ceremony at Lääninpuisto, Lutheran Service at Keskuskirkko Lutheran Church, review of troops at the Finnish baseball stadium, pass in review on Salpausselänkatu, and equipment display at Sumulaakso.
On 5 December, the parade forces and equipment will start arriving at Kouvola, and the parade arrangements will begin on venue sites.
After the parade on 6 December, the forces and equipment will depart from Kouvola. The return marches will be on the move on route VT6 in the directions of Lappeenranta and Lahti, respectively. The traffic and parking restrictions will be lifted as swiftly as possible following the event.
On 5 December from 13:00 onwards, equipment will be transported for the equipment display at Sumulaakso on route ST370 – Kauppalankatu – Ahdinkatu – Sumulaaksonkatu. The equipment display will be disassembled on 6 December from 16:00 onwards.
On 5 December, the review of troops will be rehearsed at the Finnish baseball stadium of Kouvola. For the rehearsal, the forces of the review of troops will march dismounted from 14:00 onwards on route Prikaatintie – Kasarminkatu – Marjoniementie – Savonkatu – Ahdinkatu – Sumulaaksonkatu. Having completed the rehearsal, the forces will return on the same route to Kasarminmäki. During transition marches, the Military Police will guide and control traffic.
Parking restrictions
During 5 – 6 December, parking and traffic will be restricted downtown in the area of Kouvola city centre. Streets, crossings and junctions will be closed off before and after the parade during movement of troops and equipment.
The most noticeable changes concerning traffic arrangements and parking will be on Salpausselänkatu, Sumulaaksonkatu, Urheilijankuja, Kauppalankatu, Savonkatu, Marjoniementie, Torikatu, Käsityöläiskatu, and Koulukatu. Please note that in the area of Kouvola sports park these changes must be considered already during 5 December.
Parking will remain strictly forbidden in areas marked as restricted parking, and vehicles will be removed from these areas by City of Kouvola.
Traffic arrangements concerning the review of troops on 6.12.
The public is kindly asked to arrive at Kouvola Finnish baseball stadium on foot well in advance from the direction of Sumulaaksonkatu, Palomäenkatu or Ässätorni. The parking area by the baseball stadium will be reserved only for the parade’s use.
It is recommended that the public park their vehicles in, e.g., the parking area of Halkotori or that of Kiskokatu south of the rail tracks. Information on the parking areas available can be accessed online on the site of City of Kouvola.
The parade forces will march dismounted to the review of troops and after its completion proceed dismounted for the pass in review on Prikaatintie – Kasarminkatu – Marjoniementie – Savonkatu – Ahdinkatu – Sumulaaksonkatu.
The march routes will be closed off from traffic for the duration of the forces’ movement. In case of emergency, rescue vehicles will be enabled to access the site.
Traffic arrangements concerning the pass in review on 6.12.
The pass in review will be conducted on Salpausselänkatu from 13:15 onwards. Alongside the dismounted forces, the pass in review will also be participated by up to c. 65 vehicles of the Finnish Defence Forces and other agencies.
The forces will start the pass in review on Salpausselänkatu in the vicinity of the crossing of Koulukatu. The pass in review will advance on Salpausselänkatu in the direction of the city centre. The receiving of the parade will be to line of Kymen Lukko.
On Karjalankatu, before the start of the pass in review, the participating vehicles will form up for the pass in review. Other traffic arrangements that restrict traffic due to the pass in review will include:
- Road closure on Salpausselänkatu between Salpakuja-Liikemiehenkatu on 6.12. at 10–16.
- Road closure on Kauppalankatu between Urheilijankuja-Salpausselänkatu on 6.12 at 10-16.
- Road closure on Sumulaaksonkatu between Ahdinkatu-Salpausselänkatu on 6.12. at 10–16.
- Road closure on Topinkuja on 6.12. at 10–16.
- Road closure on Torikatu between Huoltokatu-Salpausselänkatu from 5.12. at 16 to 6.12 at 16.
- Road closure on Savonkatu between Hovioikeudenkatu-Salpausselänkatu on 6.12. at 10 – 16.
- Restricted traffic on Urheilijankuja and Käsityöläiskatu (on Salpausselänkatu north). Access allowed only to and from property. The restriction will apply during 6.12. at 10 – 16.
- The parade will form up on Kalevankatu between Palomäenkatu-Salpakuja on 6.12. from 12 onwards. At driveways to property, traffic will be guided and controlled by the Military Police. Traffic to and from property will be forbidden during the pass in review at around 13 – 14.
- Traffic interrupted on Marjoniementie between Hovioikeudenkatu-Salpausselänkatu at 13:15-14:15.
- Traffic interrupted on Savonkatu-Ahdinkatu-Sumulaaksonkatu on 5.12. at 13:30–17 and on 6.12. at 10:30–11 while the forces regroup.
- Traffic interrupted on Kasarminkatu between Kasarminkatu – Kuuselankatu on 5.12. at 14:30–17 while the forces regroup.
- Traffic interrupted on Savonkatu between Salpausselänkatu-Marjoniementie on 6.12. at 13:15 – 14 while the dismounted detachments depart from the pass in review.
The detachments of the pass in review will march escorted which may cause temporary congestion on the road while the forces are on the move. The aim is to enable residents’ vehicle traffic to and from their property as applicable. It is recommended that the public refrain from any unnecessary vehicle use in Kouvola city centre.
For sustained safety, the pass in review route will be fenced and cordoned off, and any crossing or moving on the closed-off street sections will be strictly forbidden for the duration of the pass in review. The Police and Military Police will control and guide traffic on the route of the pass in review. After the pass in review has been completed, the streets will be available for vehicle traffic as swiftly as possible.
The parade receiving completed, the dismounted detachments will advance from Salpausselänkatu to Savonkatu in the direction of Kasarminmäki. The vehicles of the pass in review will advance from Salpausselänkatu to Kuusaantie to continue either towards Korjala, or towards route VT6 and in the direction of their respective home garrisons.
We warmly welcome the public to follow the parade on site. The events will be free of charge.
For more information on the programme for the day, see: puolustusvoimat.fi/itsenaisyyspaiva.
For information on traffic arrangements by City of Kouvola, see: kouvola.fi