decided to propose the discontinuation of the Liperi gymnasium. The number of students in the Liperi gymnasium had declined throughout the entire 2000s (decade). In a poll conducted in autumn 2006, only two 9th class students in Liperi announced they were applying for their own municipality's gymnasium, 50 announced they were applying for gymnasia elsewhere. On 18 December 2006, the municipal council decided that from autumn 2007 onwards, the gymnasium shall no longer accept new students. During the school year 2007–2008, there were 66 students studying in the second and third classes of the gymnasium. Other schools Other schools in Liperi include schools in Ylämylly, Viinijärvi, Käsämä and Mattisenlahti. Parishes The Evangelical Lutheran parish of Liperi covers the whole area of the municipality after the parish of Viinijärvi was annexed to it in 1995. Viinijärvi is the centre of the Taipale Orthodox parish, the parish reaches to Polvijärvi and Outokumpu. The current church of Taipale was built in 1906. Cottage activity The first cottage activity society in Northern Karelia was founded in Liperi in 2004. The society is a bond between the summer cottage inhabitants, and can make initiatives and suggestions to the municipal council. Every spring, the council sends a letter to the summer cottage inhabitants, containing general information about the municipality and instructions on how to propose representatives. Later, a list of representatives and cottage-specific vote ballots are posted. The municipality also organises common shore fishing and summer theatre nights for the summer cottage inhabitants. There are about 3000 summer cottages in Liperi. Traffic Liperi used to have three cable ferries. The ferry in Käsämä was replaced with a bridge in 1988 and the Onkisalmi ferry in 1974. Only the Arvinsalmi ferry between Liperi and Rääkkylä remains. The Joensuu Airport is located in Liperi. The Viinijärvi railway station has regional train connections to Joensuu and Pieksämäki. The nearest railway station in the western parts is the Vihtari railway station. Culture Famous culture people from Liperi Aino von Boehm (née Zitting), painter Bengt Broms, professor, curator of Galleria Broms Bynolf Enwald, director of education, founder of the Enwald home museum Anders Josef Europaeus, priest, Doctor of Theology, member of the diet Lauri Holopainen, writer Kaarle Hyttinen, writer Albin Kaasinen, sculptor Anu Kaipainen, writer, worked as a Finnish language teacher in Viinijärvi Olli Karjalainen, national poet Ilmari Kivinen (Tiitus), writer (1883–1940). His memorial stone (Veikko Jalava 1962) is located in