Accessible fishing piers coming to Eteläpuisto, Kaukajärvi and Suolijärvi

Some accessible fishing piers are planned at Eteläpuisto, Kaukajärvi and Suolijärvi, with a number due to be completed this year. YLE says they form part of the city's programme to develop outdoor recreation services.

Planned locations include the Tammerkoski fishing area in Eteläpuisto, Riihiniemi on Kaukajärvi and a pier beside the Mielenreitti route at Suolijärvi in Hervanta. Eteläpuisto's nearby parking and gentle terrain make adding reserved disabled spaces and ramps easier. At Kaukajärvi and Suolijärvi the city is holding talks with local fishing cooperatives.

Designs will prioritise safety and usability, featuring handrails and edge curbs to help users detect edges, lower rails on the fishing side for wheelchair users, and access from ground level or via a shallow ramp. Ekokumppanit Ltd is handling planning and will build most of the piers, and accessibility expert Erkka Ikonen suggests producing tactile maps so people can feel the layout of routes and harbour areas.

The city expects the upgrades to benefit everyone who uses outdoor spaces, including older residents, families and people with mobility, balance, sensory or stamina limitations. Some of the new structures will be ready this year.

The work is part of a broader push to improve lakeside access across Tampere. Earlier plans included an accessible pier at Tohloppi approved in April, and the city announced wider upgrades to outdoor recreation services in nearby areas such as Kauppi–Niihama announced in June. It also recently invited residents to map year‑round trails and rest areas in Kaukajärvi and Hervanta, where some of the new piers are planned a May residents' mapping exercise.