The Gustav Adolf’s church hall can become the new Villan. The City of Helsingborg is expected to purchase the property and turn it into a student housing. An awaited move, the student associations think.
Since fall 2013 the student associations Stampus and Agora, among others, have been discussing the move with the City of Helsingborg. It is the township that owns the property, and it will probably be that party that purchases the Gustav Adolf church hall in the southern district of Helsingborg. Something the student associations also want.
“Villan is very nice, but it also has many deficiencies. First and foremost in terms of size –at present there isn’t enough space for everyone – we must for instance rent bigger premises to have bigger sittningar,” says Hampus Fernström, the student association Stampus’ Chairman.
Difficult to adjust
Villan was labeled a historic building in 1967, which has caused problems for the student associations. They are not allowed to change doors, strips and stairs, which have made it difficult to adjust the property for student activities.
“Just because the building is so nice we have demands on us how we manage the premises. We are for instance not allowed to insert a strip in any way we want,” says Hampus Fernström.
Photo Archive / Sebastian Hagberg.
“A hub in the student life“
The student representatives highlight another advantage with the church hall and that is the availability for students.
“Villan is mostly available to the active students in the associations, but we want every member to be able to enter the church hall. With the new premises I hope it becomes a more living student housing and a real hub in the student life,” says Sebastian Kull, Chairman of the Helsingborg section Agora.
“It is of course sad to leave Villan as it has been a symbol of the student life, but the advantages with the new house are so big,” says Anton Hyllstam, Chairman of the ING-section in Helsingborg.
Everyone is moving
The idea is that all student associations move into the new church hall.
“The new premises are twice as big, that is, all associations will have enough space. Furthermore, we will get a bigger pub in which we can arrange sittningar,” says Hampus Fernström.
How is the rent affected?
“That is not yet decided. But there shouldn’t be any dramatic difference. The economy of the associations should not be drastically affected by the move,” he says.
Unclear moving day
But when the move can take place is still unclear. The Helsingborg City Council will not make a decision about the purchase until August. Then the church hall is going to be renovated and adjusted for student activities.
“We don’t have any details about when to move in. But for our part, we would like to move at a time when it does not affect the student activities, for instance during summer. However, that is nothing that limits our access to Villan,” says Hampus Fernström.
Text: Carl-Johan Kullving and Sara Wigsén
Translation: Lars Jansson
