First building moved as northern Sweden town is relocated
The first of eight historic buildings in the city of Kiruna was moved on Wednesday morning, a major milestone in the project of moving the entire city 3km to the east.
Kiruna town center needs to be moved as heavy mining in the area has compromised safety in the existing city center. The decision to move the town was first made ten years ago. Over the last few years, old houses in the town have been demolished and new ones have been erected in the new location. But today is the first day that a whole listed building is moved.
Arbetarbostaden B5, or Workers Housing Unit B5, was the fifth building erected when Swedish mining company LKAB established the city as a mining town in 1900.
The trailer carrying it drove 5km through the town at walking pace, delivering the building to its new location beneath the foot of the Luossavaara mountain at around 10:30pm.
Listen to Radio Sweden interview LKAB spokeswoman Josefine Ejeman during the procession.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Canadian province of Quebec announces plan for northern development, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Terrafame mine admits more widespread groundwater contamination, fights stricter environmental rules, Yle News
Greenland: Greenland pioneers Arctic tourism & mining, Cryopolitics Blog
Norway: Mining company CAN dump waste in Arctic fjord, says Norway; Saami opposed, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: On remote Russian Arctic coast, a grand coal project in the making, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Mining company LKAB won’t pay for earthquake damage to homes in Arctic Sweden, Radio Sweden
United States: Alaska controversial Chuitna coal mine ‘shelved’ after investor backs out, Alaska Dispatch News
