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Thursday.February 13.2025
Vol.30 No.17
Canada Post Agreement 40069240
Wellness experience on the horizon Spark winner thrilled to make idea a reality TANYA HILL thill@prpeak.com
The qathet region has much to offer when it comes to outdoor activities, such as hiking and kayaking. Imagine, if after that winter hike or strenuous paddle, there was a place to relax and take care of inner well-being, like a floating sauna on a lake. After winning a $3,000 Sunshine Coast Spark Tourism Innovation Grant, qathet resident Ryan Barfoot is planning, designing and developing a project called Lake Haven Sauna: Wellness on the Water; the first floating sauna experience in the region. “This project is about more than just saunas,” said Barfoot. “It’s about supporting the health and wellness of both visitors and our local community, fostering deeper connections to nature and strengthening community bonds.” A few years ago, Barfoot and his family started Orca Saunas, which delivers portable saunas to homes, cabins and campsites. But OCEAN VIEW
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now, with the seed money and extra motivation from winning the award, he wants to take sauna culture in qathet to the next level. “We envision this as a destination experience for wellness seekers, outdoor adventurers and visitors exploring the Sunshine Coast, as well as a community hub for local residents to gather, unwind and connect,” said Barfoot. “The sauna’s design will feature a large window and direct lake access for cold plunges.” Ideally, Barfoot would like to situate the sauna on Powell Lake, which makes sense, since hikers travelling the Sunshine Coast Trail, paddlers on the lake or visiting tourists might welcome a sauna session after their outdoor adventures. There is already interest in the sauna from the Suncoast Paddling Club, whose members meet regularly on the lake to train, indicated Barfoot. “I’m very thankful that there’s sort of recognition and the idea is seen to have some merits,” Barfoot said about the grant. “I’m also aware of a lot of work that needs to be done to make this come to fruition.” Currently, in North America, sweating it out, then cold plunging, and then repeating, has become trendy, but its origins reach back »2
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PROMISING PROJECT: Ryan Barfoot [right] and his family have won a Sunshine Coast Spark program seed grant to develop the qathet region’s first floating sauna experience. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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