If this cold weather has you dreaming of a tropical respite – or a dip into the warm, soothing water of the Takhini Hot Springs – you’re not alone. And Garry Umbrich knows it.

Umbrich is the president of Takhini Hot Springs Ltd. He’d like nothing better than to have winter-weary people soaking up some heat at his naturally-heated geothermal facility just outside of Whitehorse.

Heck, he’s one of them himself.

“I’d be in there all day if I could be,” he said with a chuckle during an interview this morning.

Unfortunately, reality – and the COVID-19 pandemic – have intervened to make that impossible.

Umbrich said several delays have pushed back the opening of the new facility until June.

“What I can tell you is that we have had some interesting delays, such as waiting many months for HRV (heat recovery ventilators) as part of our ventilation system,” he said.

“As you can imagine, everyone with buildings and concerns around ventilation is looking for upgrades, new equipment, retrofits, etc.,” he said.

“The pandemic also affects financing and things like that with delays around how quickly (or not quickly) things move through the banking system, through the lawyers’ offices, through land titles, etc.

“One thing leads to another, and next thing you know you are several months behind schedule.”

That’s adding up to some increased costs, mostly in interest charges, Umbrich said.

The prices of some products have risen as well, notably lumber. 

“The good news is that the project is moving along very well; we are extremely happy with the quality of the workmanship of the trades and other professionals, and everyone is looking forward to our opening.”

Umbrich said, as many people might remember, the original plan was to have the new facility open in September 2020, but those plans were foiled by virus-related delays.

Next, he’d believed the new facility could be open by this time of year, but circumstances conspired to dash those plans too.

“The pandemic is far beyond normal,” Umbrich said.

“You can expect various displays during a project like this, but this has gone beyond that.

“On the other hand, it’s given me more time to attend to the project firsthand, which is a good thing.”

The facility will look very different than what Yukoners will remember from its predecessor.

Umbrich said he’s modeling the new facility on a spa resort model, loosely inspired by what others have done, particularly the Scandinave series of semi-luxury spas.

Along with pools of varying temperatures, those spas feature saunas, steam baths, relaxation rooms and services such as massages, meditation and yoga.

“We like what they’ve done, but we’re going to have better prices, mostly because we don’t have to heat our water,” he said.

The new hot springs facility will feature pools, along with saunas and other assorted services.

Visitors will have the option of simply visiting the pools, or taking in the whole experience on a visit he estimates will last three hours or half a day.

That’s what his research indicates the average visitor will stay at a comparable business, Umbrich said.

He’s acutely aware of watching his price points, he said.

When the hot springs reopen, he will be reliant on local visitation to start with.

Umbrich is anticipating outside tourism will pick up at some point, but he’s looking to the future and the relaxation or end to travel restrictions as the pandemic eases.

“We know we will be a tourist draw, and so will the Yukon. People will be looking for less crowded places, and that’s us.

“We have to keep our admission rates reasonable,” he said. “We know the local market has its limits.”

The pandemic has also meant some tweaks to the design, Umbrich said.

Measures encouraging a one-way traffic flow that were initially added will now become permanent, as well as an emphasis on giving guests enough room to spread out without being crowded.

While practical, the measures will also enhance the experience at the spa, he said.

“Even when we are full, we won’t look like it,” Umbrich said. “It will still look a third empty.”

That’s likely good news to anyone looking out their window right now wishing it was June.