Connecting to Sport in Sweden: Kate Whitfield’s 5-Year Travel Benefit
Contact: Kate Whitfield, Principal, Alta
This February I celebrated my seven-year anniversary with Alta Planning + Design, and this past holiday season marked an opportunity to finally take advantage of Alta’s five-year travel benefit with what proved to be a unique family trip. My husband and I headed to Sweden to watch the Men’s World Junior Hockey Championships with our two sons. Canadians made up over a third of the spectators in the main arena for the multiday tournament in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The maple leaf was prominent in the stands with so many Canadians in Gothenburg. My kids did their best to contribute to the Canadian cheering sections regardless of who was playing — 18 games in 11 days.
One day trip allowed our youngest to play hockey with a local youth team. The Skärgårdens SportKlubb generously welcomed our son to participate in their practices on the island of Öckerö in the Swedish archipelagos.
I am a reluctant hockey mom and even more of a reluctant hockey fan, but I have to say it was a fun and unique experience. It was a wonderful excuse to visit a country where I have a family connection. As a young man, my great grandfather left his home in Sweden to attend university in the US. After earning his degree, he settled in Australia to start his family.
Our hotel was attached to the main arena for the tournament. Outside the door was a transit hub with streetcars, buses, and evidence of construction for a future subway system. Separated cycle tracks were the norm with heated sidewalks down the main commercial streets, and shared e-scooter systems were prevalent in all the cities we visited.
The destinations we visited embodied everything that makes transportation professionals envious: a regional train system that is both frequent and reliable, seamlessly connected active transportation infrastructure, and extensive, convenient bike parking — all set within the context of a winter city.
On Öckerö, an old arena next to a soccer field and large parking lot reminded me of what we see in Canadian small towns. The major difference was the walkable nature and transit access in a smaller community. Over the next year or two, I hope to explore ideas around transportation demand management specific to competitive youth sports for both personal and professional reasons.
A special thank you to Daniel Firth from C40 Cities for the tour of Stockholm (“planning nerd” style).
