{"id":289227871,"date":"2015-01-20T17:26:00","date_gmt":"2015-01-20T23:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winnipegfreepress.com\/our-communities\/souwester\/2015\/01\/20\/heating-up-fort-garry"},"modified":"2015-01-20T17:31:14","modified_gmt":"2015-01-20T23:31:14","slug":"heating-up-fort-garry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winnipegfreepress.com\/our-communities\/souwester\/2015\/01\/20\/heating-up-fort-garry","title":{"rendered":"Heating up Fort Garry"},"content":{"rendered":"

After years of planning and construction an $11-million dollar Nordic spa opened in Fort Garry last week.<\/p>\n

Thermëa by Nordik Group welcomed its first official guests to the property on Crescent Drive Golf Course (775 Crescent Dr.) on Jan. 14 and cut the red ribbon to mark the opening.<\/p>\n

It was the vision and determination of Winnipeggers Robin and Norman Dupas that brought the spa to the city.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Danielle\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Danielle Da Silva - Sou'wester\nJan. 20, 2015 - Thermea Nordik Spa on Crescent Park Drive opened on Jan. 14. Representatives say the spa will create about 100 jobs.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n

The Dupas, who call Southdale home, visited the flagship Nordik Group spa in Chelsea, Que. for the first time seven years ago. They returned to Winnipeg with the desire to bring what they experienced in Chelsea to their community. They made the initial phone calls that set plans for the spa in motion.<\/p>\n

“I’d never been to a spa before but the second we went into this place, we got the same feeling,” Norman Dupas said. “This is unbelievable. Most people haven’t experienced this and we thought we have the perfect climate for it, we have the perfect everything for it.”<\/p>\n

“It just felt very magical when we sat in the pools there you just felt like you were a million miles away,” said Robin Dupas, a local school teacher. “I just remember thinking if we could have this in Winnipeg, it would be very special.”<\/p>\n

The Dupas say the experience at Thermëa is different from other spas in that it is based on relaxation and sensation rather than appearances.<\/p>\n

“It has everything to do with health and wellness and it’s not how you look whatsoever,” Norman Dupas said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is unbelievable. Most people haven\u2019t experienced this and we thought we have the perfect climate for it, we have the perfect everything for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Thermëa features four pools and three saunas that are used for the thermotherapy experience. At Thermëa, guests are encouraged to heat up in one of the saunas or hot tub and then cool off in the temperate pools.<\/p>\n

The temperature change causes the body to release adrenaline that is replaced by endorphins creating a feeling of relaxation. Also on-site at Thermëa is massage therapy, body treatments and a full service restaurant.<\/p>\n

In 2011, the city announced that the spa would be built in Winnipeg at its current site with an anticipated completion date of fall 2012. The opening date was continually bumped as site plans changed and budgets increased.<\/p>\n

According to architect Guy Préfontaine, two months before the building tender went out changes were still being made to the design. He said it has taught him to be flexible and open to change.<\/p>\n

“We arrived here, it was an established neighbourhood so we had to win over the neighbourhood and we did that,” Préfontaine, who lives in Wildwood, said. “We knew that we were at the end of the line for civic services so we had to bring infrastructure services in.”<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Danielle\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Danielle Da Silva - Sou'wester\nJan. 20, 2015 - Nordik Group president Martin Paquette cuts the red ribbon to open Therm\u00eba.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n

Préfontaine’s goal with the layout and feel of Thermëa was to make the space as “Zen” as possible.<\/p>\n

“As we get to the design, we talked about the fact that we took the Quebec notes, the Quebec cues and gave it a Manitoba flare. We made sure the wind didn’t come in and freeze our people, we made sure the sun path was OK, we made sure the trees were in the right location, we made sure all these things happened,” Préfontaine said.<\/p>\n

Thërmea’s general manager, Frederic Jenni, said many staff members are from the surrounding area and the company expects to create 100 new jobs within a year.<\/p>\n

“We felt very strongly about finding the talents within the province to basically offer what some of you will be enjoying very soon,” Jenni said.<\/p>\n

The thermal experience of the saunas and baths, without any spa additions, is $49 for a day pass. Go to www.thermea.ca<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Jan.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Jan. 14, 2015 - One feature of Thermea is a plunge pool with a waterfall (DANIELLE DASILVA\/CANSTAR\/SOUWESTER).<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n

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Twitter: @SouwesterWPG<\/a><\/p>

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