– It is absolutely fantastic, says Gøril Gilje Helgøy. Yes, she actually has the island as her last name. Everyone living out here has it, so in this article, just keep your tongue straight in your mouth about who says what. Gøril was promised a bridge when she got married and moved to the island. – I have been waiting for fifteen years. The others have been waiting for 40. Rogaland’s county mayor, Marianne Chesak (Labor Party) and deputy mayor of Hjelmeland Anita Husøy Riskedal (Sp) got the honor of cutting the rope on the 290 meter long bridge which has cost 72.8 million kroner. Chesak was surprised that several hundred showed up for the opening. – Here we see that the bridge is of great importance to more than those who live here. The inhabitants have been waiting for this for 40 years, and the county mayor emphasizes that it is a special day for the whole county. Photo: Sindre kirkaas Normann / news From today, the 22 permanent children on the island will find it easier to visit or travel to school and activities. Photo: Sindre Kirkaas Normann / Sindre Kirkaas Normann For the young people, there is also a shorter way to friends on the mainland. Photo: Sindre kirkaas Normann / Sindre kirkaas Normann Several holy islands have worked, waited and hoped for four decades on the bridge. Photo: RYKKEBILKAMERA / news Many times more than the 42 permanent residents showed up to celebrate the opening of the road connection. Because on Helgøy there are also close to a thousand fruit trees for each of the inhabitants, as well as a shipping company and shuttle boat company. – Now they can transport fresh fruit to the mainland every day of the week, so we will all benefit from it, says Chesak. Worth the money Helgøy (the island, but also the family) accounts for a quarter of all fruit production in Ryfylke. The new bridge will make the job easier. – Before, you could only send fruit on Monday and Wednesday. Now you can send it at any time, and that means fresher fruit for the consumer, says Gøril in one of the greenhouses on the island. – Over 70 million kroner for a few families living here on the island? – We have heard it. I think it’s actually worth it. We must have a way in 2022, she states. Gøril Gilje Helgøy cheers over new bridge on Helgøy. Photo: Arild Eskeland / news Boat ride for generations On Helgøy, they also have their own shipping company with six speedboats and 12 employees. On Friday, the very last boat with a school bus went to the mainland. Captain Kristen Helgøy received a letter, chocolate cake and apple juice from the children on their last school trip to sea. Captain Kristen Helgøy with some of what he got from the students. Photo: Arild Eskeland / news – If there is anything sad about losing the bridge, it is exactly that with the school bus across the strait. It has not dawned on me until today. So it was a special trip, says Kristen. When he was little he was taken to school in this way, and then he has followed his children in the same way. – I want to laugh a little, but then I’m very happy with the bridge even then, says student Nora Helgøy after the last ride. Record number of permanent residents While islands and small communities all over the coast bleed people, Helgøy is also very special here. There have never been more people living on the island than there are now. And 22 of the 42 permanent residents are children. The children from Helgøy on their way to school. Photo: Arild Eskeland / news Malene Helgøy Arnesen points to the whole gang of school children who have just got off the boat together for the last time. She explains who the siblings are, cousins and cousins. – Everyone here is a trio, at least? – Yes, she states. Kristen Helgøy explains that the reason for the large growth is relatively simple. – No, well … the bee and the flower – we have learned about it early on and know that it is important, both in the fruit industry and elsewhere in the population, Kristen says with a twinkle in her eye. – We count 23 kids. The 23rd has not been born yet, but it has been reviewed, so it is on its way. It’s very cool.
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Helgøy gets a mainland connection with a bridge for more than NOK 70 million – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
