Times Colonist E-edition

Colwood considers options for business on the lagoon

The increasing popularity of Esquimalt Lagoon is forcing Colwood council to consider what kind of commercial operations are allowed there.

As Coun. Cynthia Day says, the rising number of people at special events at the lagoon is starting to take its toll on the area.

The waterfront stewardship committee will discuss in April the future of businesses on the lagoon and other areas of Colwood that are on the waterfront.

“I want to support those businesses that want to provide opportunities for residents in Colwood to be outside and have positive experiences, but I don’t want it to be at the expense of the nature of the environment that’s there,” she said.

Coun. David Grove said he is concerned about the increasing number of special events and other business proposals in the lagoon area, which is essentially a beach park.

The lagoon is a fragile environment bordering Parks Canada’s Fort Rodd Hill and the bird sanctuary.

“My problem is there’s no orderliness to it, there’s no infrastructure built to service increased businesses. At what point do you draw the line? It’s not the right place,” said Grove.

Concern about what is happening at the lagoon prompted council to pull the plug on a mobile sauna that had been operating at the lagoon since January.

Councillors cited concerns about allowing businesses outside of scheduled short-time special events like music and food trucks.

They said the temporary permit that had been issued to Wildwood Saunas, owned by Josh Dupuis, could set a precedent for other businesses, increasing traffic volumes and noise in what is part of a migratory bird sanctuary.

Wildwood Saunas had acquired a business licence and necessary insurance for its trailer-mounted, wood-fired sauna, and booked customers online from Thursdays to Sundays.

Council noted there has been praise for the sauna business, but an equal amount of criticism about businesses setting up for longer periods outside of special events.

“I’ve already been approached by two local Colwood businesses … now they want to set up, so we’ve opened a bit of a Pandora’s box,” said Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi. “We haven’t really looked at everything we should be looking at.”

Kobayashi said Esquimalt Lagoon was “simply the wrong location” for the sauna business.

Colwood resident Melody Maier urged council to keep the sauna in place.

“I’m proud to have them in my neighbourhood because they’re unique to Colwood and represent health and wellness,” she said.

“Saunas promote detox and stress management. My family just visited from Ontario, and they were so impressed with the saunas — it was a highlight of their trip. Please don’t take something so beneficial away from this community.”

The sauna was seen as a healthy and popular offering that went well with the trend of coldocean swimming,

Dupuis operated his mobile sauna at Willows Beach in Oak Bay periodically on weekends from January to September in 2022, before bylaw officers told him commercial enterprises were not allowed along the beachfront promenade.

“They basically told me I’d never be allowed, so I started looking at Esquimalt Lagoon,” said Dupuis. He said the sauna is proving popular anywhere people like to go ocean swimming, but it needs to be close to a beach, preferably one where people like to swim.

“It seems you just build up your clientele, and then you get the plug pulled on you,” said Dupuis.

The company has about 2,000 followers on Instagram and about 1,000 active customers who use the saunas on a regular basis, said Dupuis. The mobile sauna holds six people, who pay $20 an hour each, or $100 per group.

Dupuis also builds backyard and home saunas.

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2023-03-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

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