Floating spa destination in Victoria Inner Harbour approved (RENDERINGS)

Artistic rendering of the floating spa and sauna facility on a converted barge in Victoria Inner Harbour. (HAVN Experiences)

There has been a void in the range of attractions found on downtown Victoria’s waterfront ever since the permanent closure of Pacific Undersea Gardens in 2013.

A decade later, on an adjacent site that is also north of the BC legislature within Victoria Inner Harbour, a new floating attraction is set to take its place.

On Thursday evening, Victoria City Council unanimously approved the rezoning application by HAVN Experiences to permanently position a 144-ft-long barge at an existing pier at Ship Point near the intersection of Government Street and Wharf Street.

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There has been a history of barge-based attractions in BC, including the legendary McBarge, the temporary floating McDonald’s restaurant in Vancouver’s False Creek during the Expo ’86 World’s Fair and the now-scrapped Pacific Undersea Gardens.

The municipal government has green lighted HAVN’s attraction of transforming a World War II-era barge into a two-storey floating spa and sauna facility.

Location of the floating spa and sauna facility on a converted barge in Victoria Inner Harbour. (HAVN Experiences)

Location of the floating spa and sauna facility on a converted barge in Victoria Inner Harbour. (Google Maps)

There will be two Nordic-style freshwater cold pools, an ocean saltwater pool, and three hot pools, along with four saunas, and spaces to relax and socialize — both indoors and outdoors. The total floor area will be about 5,000 sq ft.

The top outdoor deck of HAVN, also the name of the facility, will be a “floating urban forest” with extensive landscaping and cedar batten deck structures. The barge’s hull will be painted charcoal and punctured with new openings for windows.

While this is primarily billed as a relaxing, health-focused facility, HAVN previously indicated they hope to also be able to host special events such as dance nights and shows on the outdoor deck.

Conversion construction work on the barge for HAVN at the nearby site of Ogden Point, Victoria, as of January 2023. (City of Victoria)

Artistic rendering of the floating spa and sauna facility on a converted barge in Victoria Inner Harbour. (HAVN Experiences)

Diagram of the floating spa and sauna facility on a converted barge in Victoria Inner Harbour. (HAVN Experiences)

Artistic rendering of the floating spa and sauna facility on a converted barge in Victoria Inner Harbour. (HAVN Experiences)

According to City staff in their prepared report for City Council’s consideration, the facility aligns with the municipal government’s Ship Point Master Plan, and the general desire to improve the vitality of the Inner Harbour and make it a more inviting place.

“I’m really excited for this rezoning. I’m hopeful HAVN will be a success, and I think it’ll activate our Inner Harbour,” said city councillor Jeremy Caradonna during Thursday’s public meeting at City Hall.

“I think it’ll attract people from surrounding areas, Victorians, and tourists, but not just tourists. We have a lot of tourist-focused activities in our downtown core, but not a lot of things that really attract people who live here, like a date night.”

City councillor Matt Dell added: “Victoria sometimes has a reputation for being a boring city… I do think we need to be open to any type of recreation, culture, and any business in downtown. I think it’s a great economic opportunity, the jobs that are going to come from that, and the vibrancy it will add to our downtown.”

Artistic rendering of the floating spa and sauna facility on a converted barge in Victoria Inner Harbour. (HAVN Experiences)

Diagram of the floating spa and sauna facility on a converted barge in Victoria Inner Harbour. (HAVN Experiences)

Attention to detail has also been given to HAVN’s green design and operations.

The facility will use 90% reused and recycled materials, including cedar for the saunas from locally salvaged ocean logs — ensuring no old-growth trees are cut for HAVN.

Tanks on the barge will also capture and store up to 10,000 litres of rainwater for watering the outdoor deck landscaping during the dry months, and drain water from the three onboard showers will be captured and stored for irrigation as well.

If all goes as planned with the barge conversion, HAVN’s year-round operations could potentially begin at the pier later in 2023. The barge is currently undergoing construction work at Ogden Point, the cruise ship terminal of Victoria.

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