GRUMS Kommun Värmland, Sweden

GRUMS KommunVärmland, Swedenwww.grums.se

LIVING IN GRUMSGrums is centrally located between thecities Stockholm, Gothenburg and Oslo.We also have the junction of the Europeanhighways E18 and E45. Our municipality islike a miniature Sweden with forest in thenorth and farmland in the south. Here youare always close to the nature, both forestand water. In connection with lake Vänernis an extensive lake system.Your dream may be to live in the countrysideor close to the water or forest - herefreedom of choice is great and reasonablypriced. You can live in your own house orin a flat, irrespective of which you preferyou will live close to service and recreationalactivities. Nearness to the universitycity Karlstad (20 minutes by car) lets youbenefit from a larger city and its range.Grums is also part of a wider labor marketregion, together with the surroundingmunicipalities.MUNICIPAL SERVICES& COMMERCEGrums offers high quality municipal services.There is a number of daycare andafter-school recreational centres as well asprimary and secondary schools in all partsof the region. Upper secondary school andadult education are located in the centreof Grums. We also have well-developedelder care and support for the disabled.Both the swimming and sports hall and thelibrary in central Grums are highly appreciatedby our inhabitants.Most shops and services are available inGrums; there are three supermarkets, twobank offices, health care, dentists, liquorstore, pharmacy, hairdressers and so on.Also, Värmland’s largest shopping mall islocated only fifteen minutes away by car.

LEISURE TIMEGrums is characterised by rich club activitiescatering to practically all needs. Summer orwinter, young and old alike - we have somethingfor everyone.Quality of life is for many synonymous withproximity to nature. In Grums a rich outdoorlife is part of our everyday life, and the varietyof recreational activities is great.During the summer you can enjoy the magnificentnature, swimming and fishing. Hikingtrails can be found at several places in themunicipality, and there are also jogging tracksand a golf course. Winter activities includeskiing and ice skating. As previously mentioned,we have a swimming and sports hall forindoor exercise in central Grums.A large system of lakes, connected with lakeVänern, goes through the rural landscape andguest harbours as well as access to woodsand fields vouch for a magnificent outdoorlife.

CULTURAL LIFEMusic has long been central to our municipality.We have two marching bands andone of Swedens most popular bands, Sven-Ingvars, was formed here. Internationallyrenowned musicians from Grums is jazzsinger Rigmor Gustafsson (pictured) andthe singer/songwriter I’m Kingfisher(Thomas Denver Jonsson).Our biggest cultural attractions are Sliperietin Borgvik with its art exhibitions, LMEricsson’s (the father of Swedish telephony)telephone museum in the house wherehe grew up in Värmskog, Liljedal with theglassworks museum and Borgvik with itsfine old works setting and museum. Wealso have various cultural events that takesplace each year, especially during summer.The library in Grums holds more than71 000 titles to choose from, in Swedishand many other languages. Books can alsobe borrowed from other libraries.HISTORYThe very first settlers in Värmland choseto live here, by the river in Borgvik, whenthe ice receded north. There are manyrelics of the past in the region and one ofthe most famous is the ”envelope-tomb” incentral Grums. This is the only one of itskind in Värmland. The castle of Edsholmwas built by Slottsbrosundet in the 14thcentury and was occupied by the king’sbailiffs until the Engelbrekt uprising in 1434when it was burnt down. A ruin remains.Borgvik was a central place already in the14th century. There is a preserved medievaldocument describing an agreementbetween the tenant of the mill and theCatholic Church who owned Borgvik atthat time. After the mill was shut down, aniron mill was driven by water power fromthe 17th century until 1925. The iron wasof good quality and some was used in theconstruction of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

INDUSTRY & TRADINGLars Magnus Ericsson, founder of theSwedish phone industry, was born 1846inVärmskog. In 1867 he left for Stockholmwhere he later started his own businesstoday known as Ericsson. His childhoodhome in Vegerbol, Värmskog is preservedas a memorial house and telephone museum.Since long, trade and industry in the municipalityhas been dominated by forestindustry - pulp and paper production. Witharound 850 employees, the Gruvön Mill inGrums is one of the largest employers inVärmland. Gruvön is owned by Billerud ABand is well known for its innovation.The municipality works actively togetherwith the local entrepreneurs to marketGrums as an interesting place of establishment.The aim is to make trade and industrymore differentiated and get a continuouspositive development.In 2010 Grums was named EntrepreneurMunicipality of the Year in Värmland andwas also awarded with Best Growth inVärmland 2010.FACTS ABOUT GRUMSLand area: 386 square kilometersShores: 335 kilometersPopulation: 9 100Inhabitants per square kilometer: 24Number of companies: 350Distances:Karlstad - 25 kilometersStockholm - 310 kilometersGöteborg - 220 kilometersOslo - 205 kilometersCONTACT INFORMATIONPostal address:Grums kommunS-664 80 GrumsSwedenStreet address: Sveagatan 77, GrumsPhone switchboard: +46 555-420 00Phone customer service: +46 555-420 67Fax: +46 555 - 421 09E-mail: kommunstyrelse@grums.sewww.grums.seProduced by: Helena Bergström. Printed by: Tryckeri Knappen AB.Cover photo: Øyvind Lund. Other photos: Øyvind Lund, Bo Dahlgren, Lars Forsstedt/Bildarkivet, Lars-Olov Hagberg, Tony Axelsson, Helena Bergström.