A proposed wellness spa at the south edge of Saskatoon is stirring up unhappy feelings in the neighbourhood.
Bonnie Hataley and her husband moved to The Willows last February. They thought they’d found a quiet and open place to live.
Hataley said the area was advertised as having a “country feel” — something she said she’s now worried will change.
“All the neighbours purchased into that feeling,” she said.
“When you buy into a neighbourhood you’re buying into a feel of that neighbourhood and you don’t expect that to change overnight.”
Hataley is among a growing number of residents raising concerns about plans for a wellness spa and hotel at The Willows.
The spa would be in the middle of the view from her window, but at a distance. Still, she said she’s not happy.
“I like my open spaces, and I didn’t purchase to look at the back of a hotel,” she said.
“If I had wanted that there were places available in Saskatoon centre with river views and the backs of hotels.”
Scandvik Hotels & Nordic Spa is trying to build the spa and hotel. President Travis Batting said the company is keeping concerns like that in mind.
“Our wellness and hotel and Nordic spa will blend in to the current environment and maintain peace and tranquility, that’s our whole focus,” he told Global News.
Hataley is also concerned about the traffic the spa could bring, and how disruptive she said she worries it would be to people in the area.
The company said it looked at traffic studies in the area and said it has a plan to make sure traffic flows smoothly.
“We’re not building, I think one resident called it a motel,” Batting said.
“This is up to a $30 million project, this is going to be beautiful, it’s a very Scandinavian feel, and I think people will really appreciate what we’re bringing to the neighbourhood.”
The company and the city will be holding engagement meetings for neighbours to voice their concerns and ask questions.
If approved, the hotel and spa is expected to open in 2023.