Residents of Koppelo, Finland, want to restore a nearly century-old school
In the village of Koppelo in the municipality of Inari in northern Finland, local residents want to restore the old Ruottukka school. The building has stood in its place for almost 100 years, and for more than 20 years it has been empty and has not undergone major repairs. The school is now privately owned, and its owners are open to selling it if a buyer has serious intentions.
This was reported by YLE News. The history of the Koppelo school began on April 21, 1926. The Ruottukka building was constructed about two years after Koppelo residents provided land for the school. It is located on the shore of Ruottukkavuopaja.
The building survived the Lapland War
The school building is among the few structures that were not burned during the Lapland War. Classes at Ruottukka ceased after a new school was built in Koppelo near the road in the 1950s. The old building was still used by village residents, while a road to Ruottukka was only laid in the 1990s.
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As stated in a historical account of the Koppelo school, new premises became necessary because the number of pupils increased: the Ruottukka school was too cramped. In 1994, representatives of the village committee asked the municipality to return the land transferred by the community for shared use. Before the sale, the municipality leased the building to an association supporting youth education and sold it in 2005.
The community wants to return the school to village use
Former and current activists of the Koppelo village association say they are ready to work so that the school becomes accessible to the community again. Local residents call it an important meeting place and part of the village's shared heritage.
The current owners, Juhani and Maila Sorvari, bought the school from the Municipality of Inari in 2005. They planned to renovate the building, but due to other matters never started the work. The couple keeps documents related to the school's construction and would like a future owner to restore it in accordance with its original appearance.
