Nordic spa coming to old Dartmouth City Hall building

A nordic spa, with plunge pools of hot and cold water, is being set up where the council chambers used to be in the former Dartmouth City Hall building on Alderney Drive in Dartmouth, N.S.

The Nature Folk Wellness Studio, currently located on nearby Portland Street, is behind the endeavour.

"We are pumped," said Kristen Morse, one of the co-owners of the business."The transformation will be pretty incredible."

The city hall building, which was constructed in the 1960s, was originally used by the former City of Dartmouth and later by Halifax school board staff. It is currentlyowned by Starfish Properties, which bought it in 2017 from the Halifax Regional Municipality for $2.48 million.

Morse, along with Anna Tremblay and Ashley Cluett, opened the Wellness Studio two years ago. Morse thinks the new location, overlooking the water and right next to the ferry terminal, is a great fit for the expanded business.

"Logistically it checks all the boxes," saidMorse."We're putting up signs this week that will say, 'Your neighbourhood nordic spa.'"

The former council space willbe home to fourinfrared saunas to complement the nordic centre.

There will also be a yoga studio, treatment rooms for massage therapy and osteopathic services, as well as a community event space.

The plan is to open the new business in April, but Morse acknowledges the ongoing pandemic could impact the schedule.

"We know there is a lot of uncertainty with materials and labour, but we are in great hands with our architects Hewn and Barter, they're spearheading all of that."