Enonkoski

Kuntainfo| fullname=Enonkoski

| status=municipality


established= 1639
province=Eastern Finland
region=Southern Savonia
district=Savonlinna region
citymanager=Antti Jämsén
languages=Finnish
area=450.56
arealand=320.92
arearank=258
poprank=361
popchange=
urbanisation=
unemployment=
popdate=August 31 2008
pop=1,652
popdensity=5.15
website= [http://www.savonlinnaseutu.fi/Default.asp?NakymaID=1563 www.enonkoski.fi] / [http://www.savonlinnaseutu.fi/Default.asp?NakymaID=1643 In English]
Enonkoski is a municipality of Finland. It is located about 30km north of Savonlinna in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the Southern Savonia region.

History

Enonkoski was founded in 1882. Before that it was part of Kerimäki and Heinävesi. The major reason for the foundation of independent parish of Enonkoski happened in 1858. There was no own church in Enonkoski, and the in Sundays people had to row to the church to Kerimäki, a parish Enonkoski was part of that time. In 1858 there was church boat accident in the lake Ylä-Enonvesi, in which led to the death of eight people. After that a Russian businesman and a leader of Enonkoski glass factory and a sawmill decided to built a church in Enonkoski. He is told to have said: "the people in Enonkoski do not anymore have to drown on their trips to the church". The wooden church was built in the next year but it was destroyed in a fire caused by lightning in 1884. A new church made of wood, which is still in use, was built in 1886.

Languages

The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

There also is a Russian speaking minority.

Religion

The majority of the people living in Enonkoski are Evangelic-Lutheran. There is a church in the centre of Enonkoski, built in 1886. The only Evangelic Lutheran monastery in Finland, The Monastic Protestant Community in Enonkoski, is located in Enonkoski.

Transport

Enonkoski has one main road which leads to Savonlinna, 33km away. It also has other roads which lead to the small dock neighborhood called Hyypiänniemi and to another area known as Hanhivirta.

Amenities

Enonkoski is a very small town, with two small supermarkets, a gas station, a gift shop, and several bakeries/cafés and a bar infamous to the local population for the drunks that lounge around the area. It also has an old peoples home called Iltasatu literally meaning bedtime story.

Towards the edge of the town, near a fire station, there is a running track with a well-kept field (usually used for soccer) in the middle. In addition, there is a school (grades 1-9) which has an ice skating rink, used in the winter, and an indoor sports arena. Adjacent to the school is a small library which has two computers for use (with internet), although sometimes they are hard to get without a reservation.

Enonkoski also has a rehab facility for drug addicts.

Industry

The largest business in the town is a fish research plant where they raise fish in a controlled environment and then release them into the lakes which are abundant in the area.

port

Enonkoski has a juniors and senior volleyball team Enonkosken Pyrintö playing in the second highest tier of men's volleyball in Finland. Football club Karvilan Kivekkäät has a couple of youth teams. There is also a cross country track used for cross country skiing in winter and jogging in summer. Participation in the yearly skiing competitions is very high. Orienteering is also quite popular sport. The sports club for athletics, skiing and orienteering is called Enonkosken Urheilijat.

Villages

Hanhijärvi, Ihamaniemi, Joutsenmäki, Karvila, Laasala, Makkola, Muhola, Paakkunala, Parkumäki, Simanala, Suurimäki and Vuorikoski are villages in Enonkoski.

Border changes

In 2009 the neighbouring municipalities of Enonkoski: Savonranta and the city of Savonlinna, will unify as an one municipality. According to the law of Finland, the unifying municipalities must have a land connection between them, which Savoninna and Savonranta do not have. Because of that a land strip of 31,24 km² will be taken off from the area of Enonkoski municipality to connect the parts together.