Lofoten Game of the Future/History[more to come]

Site: Mette-Marit Park [Formerly Prisoners Park].Kabelvåg, Lofoten Islands, Norway.
Established: July 16, 1896

A public park opposite the Art school in Kabelvåg, Norway. This park was formerly called Prisoners Park, as the current art school used to be the prison and city hall. Prisoners were known to work in the park.

2001: Park was dedicated to princess Mette-Marit.
2001: Park renamed: Mette-Marit Park.
2001: Fountain Installed in center of park. Walkway's made, and 4 benches installed around fountain.

The Future of Lofoten remains untold.

Currently fishing is the number one industry in Lofoten, second only to Oil which is Norway's number one industry. Set in an environmentally unique location, Lofoten offers a diverse set of pleasures. The islanders are constantly addressing the notion of survival within this extreme and remote location. At the moment the island depends on its location for income; fishing, oil, and tourism. Due to environmental issues and over-fishing, this fragile ecology of the economy and environment has been challenged to strike a balance between preservation, conservation and survival.

Big interests are at stake and in the comming years decicions will be made that heavily affects the future and direction of the island community. Some of the interests are directly oppositional as you can read below. The game: "Lofoten Game of the Future" plays these interests out against each other to open for discussion on possible combinations, and different outcomes for the future.



1) The oil industry is lobbying heavily to get rights to use the oil resources outside of Lofoten, this could bring wealth to Lofoten, but also damage the natural resources and fishing which the island is dependant on.

2) Tourism in Lofoten is underdeveloped compared to other places. The future question is: Will international corporations bring luxury hotels and mass tourism or can a sustainable tourism be imagined that benefits the local community and culture?

3) Fishing which has been the traditional source of income for the island is undergoing changes. Big trawlers are buying the fish kvotas and often unloading in other countries, in addition possibly damaging wildlife with their trawls. Policy changes on a national level could make costal fishery viable again and thereby support a living fishing community.

4) The nature and wildlife of lofoten is unike any in Norway and the world. Currently, the possibility of Lofoten being protected and declaired a UNESCO world heritage site is being examined. This would limit the possibility for the oil industry and maybe fishing and would radically change the outlook. One would have to invent industry and tourism that would not damage the environment.

Lofoten Info:
The Lofoten islands are a large group of islands off the North West coast of Norway.
They are home to the world's largest cod and herring stocks, shoals of sperm and killer whales and extensive sea bird colonies.
The waters also contain the world's biggest cold water coral reef, which was discovered and protected only last year.
http://www.lofoten-tourist.no/infoguide/en/kort-om-lofoten/