The Nordic Spa practice, as a way of achieving full body and mind relaxation and recuperation, has been growing in popularity across Canada within recent years. Based on the traditional Scandinavian approach to wellness, it follows the philosophy that moving between hot, warm, and cold temperatures has numerous health benefits known as hydrotherapy.

Recently, the group of entrepreneurs behind Alberta’s first Nordic spa concept, Kananaskis Nordic Spa, have revealed an exciting vision to bring the city of Edmonton its own signature take on a Scandinavian-style, indoor-outdoor spa facility by the year 2020. To be named Edmonton Nordic Spa, the four-season Nordic wellness experience will equally complement its landscape, Edmontonian culture, and the local way of life.

“This will be a world-class, four-season, destination-worthy facility and we’re confident it will be warmly embraced as a regular health and wellness routine for residents of the city and surrounding area,” says Hank Van Weelden, one of the entrepreneurs behind the project and Managing Partner of Edmonton Nordic Spa. “As we’ve been developing plans with our partners over recent months and discussing how our vision for the facility will come to life, one piece that has become very clear is how we’re all 100% committed to Edmonton Nordic Spa looking and feeling exactly like Edmonton. It’s got to have an authentic sense of the city at its core, a signature Edmonton experience. We have always lived and done business here, so this is something that’s really important to us.”

With the design concept being developed by Edmonton-based Dub Architects, plans include the presentation of a facility spanning two acres and featuring three distinct areas of use: social, silent, and a group gathering space. There will be a total of eight outdoor pools (hot, warm, and cold variations with waterfall characteristics), steam and sauna rooms, two dining options including a bistro, and several massage therapy treatment rooms to complement the hydrotherapy experience.

“We’ve seen with immense satisfaction, our first spa project in Kananaskis become a great success and so warmly welcomed by Albertans,” Van Weelden adds. “We’re a city that has a vibrant, culturally-rich festival summer season, and we all know how long Edmonton’s winters can be. Taking the time to rejuvenate via the hydrotherapy cycle, all while outdoors—whether in the brisk temperatures or basking in the sunshine—is what the Nordic Spa is all about. Alberta was made for this concept. We think the city is ready for Edmonton Nordic Spa.  It’s time to bring an Edmontonian interpretation of this increasingly trending pastime to our city and start to make the very most of how we spend time within it—during each season.”

For more information, visit edmontonnordicspa.com and follow them on Instagram: @edmnordicspa

[Images courtesy of Edmonton Nordic Spa]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk