The Robbegård-Hussami family’s forest land was redeemed for the green industrialization of Boden. Twice! Last time they chose not to take replacement land. Instead, they invested in a cabin in the Storklinten alpine resort and a new chapter in local life, just half an hour from their apartment in Boden.
Rickard Robbegård, Maria Hussami and their son Neo, open up to the spring sun in their new Villa Norrskenet in Storklinten. Outside the panoramic windows, the expanse of Storklinten and the Lule River valley spreads out. Neo unpacks his games and toys that always come with him to the cabin. Rickard checks the temperature and values in the hot tub in the yard and Maria places some of her artwork from the studio at home in Boden.
In the wake of the societal transition
Their investment in the growing ski resort Storklinten is a direct result of the ongoing social transformation in the municipality of Boden. The world’s first large-scale green steel plant is being built here. Within a few years, 5000 people are expected to move to Boden. New industry, infrastructure and buildings meet history, tradition and emotion. The municipality of Boden has gradually bought up land to create Boden Industrial Park, which is now the site of H2 Green Steel’s operations in Svartbyn just outside Boden.
“What’s happening in Boden may not feel only positive at the moment, for everyone living here who has to make sacrifices. But in our case, it led to something new. We see that there will be ripple effects and a lot of exciting things are happening here in Storklinten now too”, says Rickard.
Roots in Svartbyn
The Robbegård family’s properties and ancestry in Svartbyn have in many ways been intertwined with Boden’s history even earlier. Their surname comes from Robbgården, which has stood in Svartbyn since the 17th century. The building has been owned by Boden municipality since the 1970s. Today it is one of the listed timber houses in the cultural area at the church cottages in central Boden.
“My dad grew up in Svartbyn and I’ve spent a lot of time with him on the land there, he knows every ditch”, says Rickard.
Redeemed industrial land
Rickard owned land in Svartbyn, around the switchgear that now occupies a central location at Boden Industrial Park. Initially, the municipality bought up land to prepare for a larger establishment. In order to keep the hunting opportunity, Rickard took exchange land as compensation. A few years later, they received a request from the municipality to buy that land as well.
“Then we felt a bit that how fun is it to have that land if there will be a large industrial area there”, says Rickard.
At the same time as the land issue was reopened, Maria’s mother retired. They discussed whether they should start looking for a shared vacation home in Spain, or a cottage. As if on cue, a cabin appeared for sale in Storklinten where Rickard’s old alpine buddy was now CEO and several friends used to stay regularly.
A new neighborhood life
They decided to take money this time instead of replacement land.
Suddenly they were cottage owners in Storklinten, together with Maria’s mother who chose the midnight sun and the northern lights in Storklinten instead of the Spanish sun coast.
“On June 1 last year we signed the papers and on July 1 we got the key”, says Maria.
Photo: Private
Maria works at Studieförbundet Vuxenskolan and Rickard at the Nordpoolen water park in Boden. The family lives in an apartment in Boden, and the cottage in Storklinten has given them a whole new life in their own neighborhood, just half an hour’s drive from Boden. They are about the same distance from the archipelago and the sea.
Back in the home stretch
Here in Storklinten, Rickard, with a past as a competitive alpine skier, has spent many hours in his youth. Today, his son Neo, seven years old, has 23 days of skiing behind him this season, on his father’s old home slope. The next generation of Robbegård is heading for the hills with a broad smile from ear to ear.
“Skiing is life,” says Neo, 7, bouncing with excitement to get out on his dad Rickard’s old home slopes.
Over the past year, the family has created a cabin life adapted to their needs and dreams, but also to make the cottage attractive and pleasant to rent out through Storklinten.
“We think there should be bobsleighs, sledges, games, children’s books and magazines to be able to socialize and do more than skiing”, says Maria.
National teams and corporate events
They renovated the cottage with personalized colors, furnished it with six beds and built a sauna and hot tub. Sooner than they thought, the cottage was rented out. First to guests connected to the fall national team training in Storklinten. Then to Volvo who had a big event in the neighborhood for several weeks.
“Now we are looking forward to being here more and some other seasons, and just being. We will continue to rent out the cottage occasionally but also enjoy it ourselves”, says Maria.
Photo: Mats Engfors, Fotographic
