The Old Vääksy village in Asikkala is known for its beautiful canal, the historic Water Mill, idyllic wooden houses, and distinctive boutiques. The beautiful nature of the area and the built environment with its services make the place attractive and comfortable not only for its residents but also for tourists. Since 2006, The Old Vääksy Development Association has actively been treasuring the cultural heritage of the area.

The association has been striving to develop the region respecting its historical values and to improve the cooperation and operational preconditions of the businesses in the region. Activities include organizing events, maintenance and development of the Norrlin park, mapping and archiving the history of the region, and developing the community. Through its activities, the association aims to highlight the value and importance of the canal environment and the potential of the cultural environment to the local community, to promote tourism and small entrepreneurship in the region. The association is mainly run by volunteers, funding its activities through various grants and fundraising. Over the years, the association has gathered information on the history of the area, among other ways by interviewing elder villagers and summer residents. In 2015, National Board of Antiques gave the association a grant for the development and execution of a cultural environment map application (kartta.vanhavaaksy.fi).  In 2016 and 2017, the association was taking part in the Cultural Environment for Wellness and Business EU-project, together with the University of Helsinki and Lahti University of Applied Sciences. During the project, the cultural environment program of Vääksy was updated and stories about the history of Old Vääksy were collected and later digitalized in different storytelling evenings. Stories and images are still shared in the Facebook group which has almost 1,000 members.

Since 2015 the association has organised an event called Open doors and yards & harvesting market and it is held in September. The event will be held this year for the fourth time during the main event weekend of the European Heritage Days. The event will be carried out in cooperation with local residents and actors who will open their homes and gardens for anyone to come and see. Through the event, the local culture and stories of Old Vääksy are linked to the European cultural heritage. The event and other activity of he association implements culturally sustainable development by sharing the local stories of our past and present with the future generations.