The saying goes that Norwegians are born with skis on their feet. But because of the snow and pandemic this year, many people are despairing, authorities are bringing snow and ski trails to central Oslo.
Over the past few weeks, large trucks have dumped hundreds of cubic meters of fluffy white goods, made by snow cannons perched on the hills outside the capital, in the city’s still green parks.
The parks are packed or decorated with cross-country trails and have turned into winter wonderlands for ski enthusiasts of all ages: toddlers on outings with their day care groups, active seniors and office workers taking a break from their work schedule.
“For three months we have had very strict corona restrictions in Oslo, but we can still go outside,” said City Councilor Omar Samy Gamal, as a grooming machine behind him prepared a snow-tree hill in Torshovdalen Park.
“Since we have not had much snow this winter, we are doing what we can to bring it among the people. We are bringing them a little ‘market’,” he says.
What is Marka?
The word refers to the wooded hills outside Oslo, which are popular with city dwellers for long walks, or more often, after work or the weekend on skis.
The first snowfall of the season in early January caused long traffic queues, and, more worryingly during the pandemic, crowded commuter trains.
“We do not want people to be packed together. We want them to keep their distance from each other, and the best way to ensure that is to make use of local public spaces,” says Gamal.
Four Oslo parks – including those that form part of the royal palace – are all or have been partially covered with artificial snow to quench the thirst for sledding and skiing.
“It’s extremely important to keep people active without everyone having to take the same train to leave the city,” says Miriam Heen Scotland, a psychologist who goes cross-country skiing in Voldslokka Park during her lunch.
– White Christmas? –
Before Karen Margrethe Igland worked her night shift as a nurse, she tied up her cross-country skis, just ten minutes from her home.
“I try to limit how much I use public transport. If I want to go to the ‘market’, I have to take the train. So it’s better to be able to get here on foot,” she says.
Climate change has shortened winters in Norway.
According to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo has lost 21 winter days over the past 30 years, defined as days where the temperature drops below 0 degrees Celsius.
The Institute could lose another 26 winter days by 2050, the Institute warned.
“When I was young, it was not difficult to predict the weather in winter: it was often cold and there was usually a lot of snow,” Norway’s education minister Guri Melby said in January when new climate measures were presented. .
“But for Christmas this year, I wasn’t sure if I should have to buy a sled for my kids, because the winters are much milder these days with far fewer snowmen and ski days,” she said.
And in an almost sacred move, Norway opened its first indoor ski resort in early 2020. However, it is currently closed to the general public due to virus restrictions.
Is Oslo really reasonable to transport tons of snow by truck if Oslo fights the thermometer?
The vehicles run on biodiesel, with hydrotreated vegetable oil, the city says.
“With the use of these carbon-neutral trucks to bring snow to the people so they can not use their own car to drive to the ‘market’, I think it’s a pretty advantageous equation for the climate,” he said. driver Tom Kjetil Tangen.
phy / po / kjm / qan