While Collingwood has many great amenities, one of our most valued spots for both residents and visitors alike is the Scandinave Spa. These Scandinavian baths do wonders for your health, your mind and your general well-being, which is why they are such a treasured resource.

Located just outside the city, near the base of Blue Mountain, this luxurious retreat will literally knock your socks off. With hot and cold pools, a sauna, steam room and many indoor and outdoor spots to relax and kick back, Scandinave Spa is a spot you can visit once a year or many times a month.

Nestled right in the forest, the spa is open every single day from 10am until 9pm, where guests can escape from the stresses of their daily life and simply enjoy the serenity. Similar to the hot springs you’ll find in Europe, your experience includes hydrotherapy, which is where the healing properties of water are used to improve your health.

The process

From the time you walk into the spa, you’ll be greeted with a friendly and calming atmosphere. You’ll change into your swimsuit in one of the two change rooms and put on a robe (if you so choose). From there you’ll head outside, whether it is spring, summer, fall or winter, where you’ll enter one of the hot pools to relax and simply be still. There are three tubs of varying temperature and you can work your way up to the hottest one. After spending some time in the hot pool, you’ll exit and then enter one of the cold pools. It can definitely be a shock to some, but the effects of getting your body temperature up and then lowering it so rapidly in the cold water is very good for the body.

Once you’ve run silently screaming out of the cold pool, you’ll rest in a hammock, by the fire or another relaxing spot on the Scandinave Spa’s vast and gorgeous property. You may see a bunny run by or a deer in the wood as well.

Your next step might be to go into the sauna, again cooling yourself off in the cold pool or under one of the rain showers. The eucalyptus steam room is great for those winter colds that won’t go away, clearing your sinuses and your head as you enjoy the completely steamed room.

You can spend the entire day here, treating yourself to each feature as you go, being sure to take a break between to get your body temperature back to normal before having it fluctuate again. They have a cafe on site, where you can get delicious and healthy salads and other spa fare, like tea and cookies. Once your treatments are over, you may enjoy an alcoholic beverage or two from the bar.

This spot is great for singles, couples or a group. There is a no-talking policy, as silence is very restorative, so be sure if you are in a group, you are still respectful of the other guests.

Benefits

Of course, a day at the spa is its own benefit, but there are a myriad of other benefits that await you after a treatment here. These include:

• Boosting your immune system
• Reducing stress
• Connecting with a loved one
• Connecting with yourself
• Being one with nature
• Improving blood flow to your organs and skin

The baths cost $55, although Wednesdays are only $45. Book a massage and you’ll get in for free. As a local, you may want to look into a membership so you can go on a regular basis.

One of the many great things to do in Collingwood is the Collingwood Museum. Residents and visitors alike visit this completely free museum (by donation!) regularly. With special events, educational programs, archives, research facilities and a gift shop, the Collingwood Museum has it all! Volunteer-run, this museum gives a great opportunity for those in Collingwood to give back to their community.

This museum showcases Collingwood’s marine heritage for the last 150 years. The exhibits change throughout the year and there is a ship sidelaunch every 15 minutes. There are also some great activities for children. Take, for example, the kids programs this summer. All programs are only $12 and only $10 for museum members. The three-hour programs require registration and feature so much fun. Some of the best programs this July at the Collingwood Museum include:

• Sensational Sister Cities – features Collingwood’s sister cities, along with crafts and other fun activities related to those cities
• Kickstart my Art – everything from clay to fashion to birdhouses
• Blast from the Past – celebrating Collingwood’s amazing heritage with lessons on blacksmithing, ship crafts and railway history
• Water Week – learn about canoeing, fishing, sailing, rowing and swimming during this themed week that celebrates Collingwood’s nautical past and present

Becoming a member of the museum definitely has its advantages, like 20% off in the gift shop, 20% off photographic services, free access to the archives and research facilities, invitations to special events and special rates on museum trips.

Rated as the #2 thing to do in Collingwood on TripAdvisor after the Georgian Trail, it is definitely somewhere that young and old like to visit. The majority of the reviews give it an excellent or very good rating. Reviewers say it is a “small but interesting” museum with friendly staff. Visitors learn quite a bit about Collingwood and its history, as well as the history of the surrounding areas.

Open daily from 9am to 5pm, this might be a fun thing to do when the rain starts this fall!

It has been one scorcher of a summer in Collingwood so it is lucky we live on such a large and gorgeous lake. But, our hot and dry weather has prompted the Collingwood Fire Department to issue a fire ban, which means you can’t burn anything here or in the surrounding areas, for risk of fire.

Many communities in Ontario have fire bans in place right now, as dry conditions have led to an extreme risk of fires in forests and the homes that surround them.

When a fire ban is present in your community it means:

• No burning of brush
• No campfires
• No open flames (i.e., chimneas)
• No fireworks

As well, those who smoke should be extra careful to dispose of their lit cigarettes in a way that won’t be a potential fire cause.

While many are aware that they can’t have fires during a fire ban, many aren’t aware that fireworks also pose a significant risk.

While this may sound like a huge bummer, risking the burning down of our beautiful trees and other topography isn’t worth a night around the campfire.

As well, the Town of Collingwood could issue you a fine of up to $1,200 under the town bylaw if you do have a fire during a fire ban. On top of that, if someone needs to call the Collingwood Fire Service because of a fire during a fire ban, they could also charge you for their services.

In other words, be smart and don’t have an open air burning during the fire ban.

Officials don’t know when the fire ban will be lifted, but it will have to be after some significant rainfall, which, as the forecast looks, won’t happen anytime soon.

Enjoy the hot days by taking a swim in the lake, get out on a boat or stay inside in the air conditioning!

Want fresh and nutritious produce at a great price? Want to help those less fortunate in your community, to ensure they also have fruits and vegetables in their diet? The Georgian Good Food Box Program can help you do both.

This non-for-profit organization is essentially a buying club that purchases fresh produce and distributes it in the Southern Georgian Bay area, including Collingwood. They buy it wholesale and pass on those savings to you. All members are volunteers, which is also another great opportunity for Collingwood residents to give back to their community. If you can lift up to 20 pounds, you can volunteer with the Good Food Box Program.

Orders are placed on the second Wednesday of each month and packed and ready for pick up every third Wednesday of the month. There are a number of spots to place orders in Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Stayner and Creemore. The pick-up for Collingwood is at the Legion at 499 Ontario Street from 11:30 to 2pm every third Wednesday. You can place your order at the Collingwood Community Resource Center or Breaking Down Barriers. If you choose, you can place an order online using PayPal.

Just so you can realize what a great deal you are getting, a large box only costs $15, while a medium one is $10. If you do order online, there is a $1 processing fee.

Because the costs are so low, you might want to consider donating what you would have spent at the grocery store to ensure others are provided with fresh fruit and vegetables. Georgian Good Food Box donates free boxes to fixed-income families.

While the Georgian Good Food Box Program is not new, it is worth mentioning such a great resource we have in the Collingwood community. Not only does it help ensure families are getting good quality and fresh produce at affordable prices, it provides opportunities to make our community better.

If you follow them on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll get reminders to put in your order right in your newsfeed. They’ve also got some great recipes on how to use up all that yummy produce.