The Pelkola Village Association in Hattula was founded in the autumn of 2024, and membership is open to anyone interested in the activities and development of the village and its surrounding areas.
The history of Pelkola village
The history of the village of Pelkola dates back to the Middle Ages, as far back as the 1400s. Pelkola Manor is the village’s central landmark and has stood on its present site since the 1700s. The village landscape is dominated by Lake Lehijärvi and the village’s magnificent farmland views. The school was founded in 1869 and moved into its current building in 1885. Pelkola School remained in operation until 2011. The school is now owned by Kirsi and Harri Tuomi, and the premises are home to the business ‘Wanhan Koulun Rauha’.
Hattula Pelkola Village Association
The Hattula Pelkola Village Association was founded in the autumn of 2024. The founding meeting was attended by a group of new and long-standing residents keen to develop the village. Membership of the association is open to all. By the end of 2025, the village association had around 50 members. The village association works in partnership with Hattula Municipality, the villages of Häme, village associations and committees in neighbouring areas, the Lehijärvi Conservation Association, and the Pelkola and Pyhälahti shareholders’ associations.
The main objective of its first year of operation was to restore the village’s lakeside area for use by villagers after a long hiatus. Through joint voluntary efforts, and with funding from the Leader programme, donations from the Pelkola and Pyhälahti shareholders’ associations, and a grant from Hattula Municipality, the jetty at the village’s communal bathing beach was repaired, the vegetation along the shore was cleared, including the removal of weeds, and a new changing hut, and a slipway for launching boats were built, along with marked mooring points. The aim is to continue developing the beach, and voluntary work parties to maintain it will continue to be organised at least twice a year.
Work to renovate the area around the Pelkola sports ground and improve its facilities began in spring 2026. The ground is suitable for playing pickleball and, in future, floorball and basketball too. During the summer of 2026, a swing area for children, as well as a table and benches for picnics, will be installed on the beach.
We’re actively continuing to develop our activities. Please feel free to get in touch with us so we can come up with more ideas together!
Come and join in the fun!
Anyone interested in our activities can join the village association. The membership fee for 2026 is €20, and €10 per person for additional members of the same household. Members of the village association will receive news about our activities by email.
You can join by sending your contact details (name, address, telephone number, email address) to hattulanpelkolankylayhdistys@gmail.com
For further information, please contact the Chair of the Board, Kirsi Tuomi, on 0405443784.
Village Association Board 2026
Kirsi Tuomi, Chair
Mandi Anomaa
Jyrki Ihaniemi, Treasurer
Roosa Köykkä, Secretary
Päivi Lehtonen
Pauliina Leppinen, Vice-Chair
Marko Smeds
Sirpa Ylikerälä, Convenor of the Contingency Working Group
CURRENT AFFAIRS
8 June 2026
A fantastic flea market day behind us! Nearly 20 stallholders and an estimated 250 visitors 🙌 A brilliant atmosphere in the village of Pelkola 👏
The court has now been officially opened for summer use and, with the help of the mayor, named after Mika Järvinen. Pickleball rackets are available for everyone to use and can be found in the changing rooms – please treat the net and other equipment with respect so that we can enjoy them for a long time to come.
The Old School’s summer café will continue to be open on Mondays and Tuesdays after Midsummer. You’re welcome to pop in there too! Have a sunny summer and enjoy some great games ☀️
4 May 2026
PELKOLA BOOTSALE SUN 7 June 2026, 11.00–15.00 at the old school in Pelkola and around the ice hockey rink.
The idea behind the Pelkola boot-sale, now in its second year, is to bring along any unwanted items and clothes you have to sell at this free boot-sale. The event is part of the Hattula Days programme, and everyone from near and far is warmly welcome to attend.
The Old School’s lunch café will be open on site (with indoor and outdoor seating), serving a summer soup lunch, a bread roll and coffee/tea or ice cream (€12). There will also be a selection of homemade sweet treats on offer. The Pelkola Village Association will be selling grilled sausages.
Other events
11.30 am: Inauguration of the Pelkola sports ground for the summer season and naming ceremony
The Pelkola sports ground will be named after a distinguished local sportsman, who will be present at the event
Municipal Manager Pekka Järvi will be present at the unveiling of the name plaque
12.30–15.00 Introduction to pickleball and the chance to have a go on the court
Tuomo Antikainen from Pickleball Finland will be on hand to provide guidance and instruction on the sport
1.30 pm: A short guided ‘walkabout’ to explore Pelkola School (Wanhan Koulun Rauha) and its current activities
15.30 Free 30-minute singing bowl relaxation session in the school hall.
4 May 2026
The association’s annual general meeting was held in a relaxed atmosphere on Sunday 3 May 2026. Thank you to everyone who attended! The village association’s activities in 2026 will focus on the continued refurbishment of the village’s communal areas – namely the village beach – as well as the development of the ice hockey rink and its surroundings. The association has applied for and received operating grants from the Pelkola and Pyhälahti Water Cooperative and from Hattula Municipality. Thanks to these grants, the development work can proceed as planned. Kirsi Tuomi will continue as Chair of the Board. Mandi Anomaa, Jyrki Ihaniemi, Roosa Köykkä, Päivi Lehtonen, Pauliina Leppinen, Marko Smeds and Sirpa Ylikerälä were elected as members of the Board. Following the Board’s inaugural meeting, the first major task will be to organise a car-boot sale on Sunday 7 June from 11.00 to 15.00. You can read more about the event here.
22 April 2026
You are warmly invited to the association’s annual general meeting on Sunday 3 May 2026 at 2.00 pm. Read more here.
16 February 2026
A great first winter get-together is now behind us! Yesterday, on Shrove Sunday, around 50–60 villagers turned up, and we were delighted to have summer residents and other locals from the surrounding area join us too❤️ The warm-up exercises got us going, and the ‘tennis ball battle’ really got the blood pumping 😅 There were some young skaters on the training rink, and the blanket-throwing and sack races were great fun for all ages. We warmed up by the bonfire and enjoyed a hot drink. It was lovely to have you all there! A huge thank you to Eero and his soup pot for the delicious pea soup, and a big thank you too to the hard-working volunteers who organised the event!
12 January 2026
Traditional-style and skate-skiing trails have now been groomed at Lehijärvi. A huge thank you to the hard-working trail groomers! You can find up-to-date information on trail conditions on the ‘Hattulan hiihtoladut’ Facebook group. Happy skiing ❄️
8 January 2026
The lovely winter weather is here and the Pelkola rink is open for business again. A big thank you once again to Pekka, Arto, Matti, Jyrki and everyone else for freezing the rink! Now it’s time to skate again ❄️
Please note that the maintenance instructions are posted on the outside wall of the hut. In other words, upkeep is a community effort. In particular, please ensure that snowdrifts are cleared from the rink and kept a safe distance from the doorways. PLEASE NOTE: As the rink isn’t owned by the local council, you’re there at your own risk, so remember to bring your helmets. And, of course, everyone should clear away their own rubbish.
Here’s to some great winter, skating and ice hockey weather for us all! 🩵
