Services in Sunila
There are many everyday services near the Sunila residential area and there’s no shortage of venues either. The former CEO’s residence Kantola and the mellow sauna by the water can be rented from Ruori, the customer service center of Kotka. You can read more about the renting of Kantola here.
The neighbourhood clubhouse Alvariska, operating in the EKA heating plant building, is open from 8 AM to 3 PM on weekdays. At other times the space is great for events and you can order food and cakes from Alvariska for a reasonable price, even for a larger group of people.
Pirtti is maintained and rented by Sunilan Sisu. The hall of Pirtti has a traditional high ceiling and a stage for performances. On the side of the cafeteria, a nice coffee or even a larger meal can be served without a hitch.
The closest convenience store is the K-market in Metsäkulma, address Pokakuja 1. The center of Karhula offers a larger array of shops, boutiques, cafés and pharmacies. On market days, which are Wednesday and Saturday, we recommend you go get some delicacies from the local farms, bread from local bakeries or a popular sweet treat called “Posso” along with a warm cup of coffee.
The Karhula bus station is about 3 kilometers from Sunila. Several local bus lines go from the bus station there’s a taxi stand right next to it.
Bus line 1 Kotka-Hamina stops by the Rauhala primary school about 2,3 km from Sunila. Bus lines 5B and 25T go along Ratakatu and Sunilantie and line 6 goes from the side of Metsäkulma along Hallantie. The timetables for the local bus lines you can find at www.kotkanaikataulut.fi/kotka/
Kantola
Kantola, designed by Alvar Aalto, was completed in 1937 and it is the gem of the Sunila area. The spacious two-storey house was made to be the pulp mill manager’s residence and it is perfect for events of up to 100 guests. Kantola can be rented. More detailed instructions can be found at Kantolan sivuilta sunilakantola.fi. Waiting services can be ordered from catering depending on the event. Along with Kantola, you can also rent the sauna by the sea. The sauna can also be rented separately.
KAntola sauna
The seaside sauna of Kantola is the perfect place to spend an evening at and enjoy the gentle and dim atmosphere of the log building. The sauna along with its kitchen can house about 15 guests. From the windows and the terrace you can admire the pulp mill that rises as a column of light. The sauna can be rented. More detailed instructions can be found at sunilakantola.fi.
Community house Sunila Pirtti
Pirtti, built in 1901, is the only structure left of the wooden buildings of old Sunila. In 1938 Alvar and Aino Aalto designed extensions and restyled the interior. Nowadays the building is managed by Sunilan Sisu and has been renovated completely by their hands. Community house Pirtti can be rented from here. Pirtti is perfect for family gatherings or other meetings. There is space for about 120 people and the kitchen is well equipped.
Neighbourhood clubhouse Alvariska
The neighbourhood clubhouse Alvariska is located in the architecturally exquisite EKA heating plant building, address Harjukatu 2. Alvariska is the common sitting room of the whole village, where you can stop by for a coffee on weekdays at 8 Am to 3 PM. Lunch is served on weekdays. You can also get all kinds of help for mundane activities, for example a larger cleaning project. Arrangements can also be made to organize an event or a meeting in the space outside of the usual open hours and catering can be ordered from the kitchen. Read more about the services at
https://www.korttelikoti.fi/korttelikoti-alvariska
SPORTS FIELD
Sunila has a long history with sports. That tradition continues to this day with the use of the sports field. The field is used by the inhabitants of Sunila, local schools, individual athletes and clubs. Along with ball games, you can also practice discus or hammer throw. In the winter the field has a small ice skating ring and a ski trail going around it. The playground close by has swings, a train shaped slide and other fun stuff. The small hill next to the field is used as a sled slide every winter.
Äijänniemi beach
About 2 kilometers from Sunila is the Äijänniemi beach. The beach is about 100 meters long and consists of natural sand right next to a boreal pine forest. The water starts out surprisingly shallow and gets deeper very gradually, so the beach is also suitable for families with small children. The area has a changing room, toilet, waste disposal and a campfire site among other things.
