Beach’s Sedar Sauna welcomed by community members

By SAM HEFFER

In December of 2023, a young man named Jason knew that he needed to “rip up and rebuild” the main floor of the house he had bought in Toronto’s east end. While he believed the end result would be worth it, initially he was feeling much more angst than excitement about his home. At the time, Jason had no idea that this renovation would change his life in ways that had nothing to do with blueprints or interior design.

A friend introduced home builder Matthew to Jason. Matt grew up at Woodbine and Danforth avenues, and launched his own contracting business in 2021. The two men met and began discussing next steps for the house. These conversations went well, but three days into the main floor demolition process, Jason’s stress level had reached the stratosphere. He called Matt for advice.

The next day, as the two men drove to Habitat for Humanity to drop off old appliances, Matt suggested that Jason try a cold plunge followed by a hot sauna to ease his stress.

“It was an unexpected development in my business life,” said Matt. “I thought it was very unusual to go for a cold dip and sauna with a client, but after coaching Jason through the experience, it was actually great, and we became good friends.”

Matt himself has practised sauna and cold plunges at indoor facilities over the past several years. He became a student of Nordic spa culture, delving deep into the health benefits attributed to “sauna practice,” and the details of sauna construction. In October 2023, he began building his own mobile sauna with a capacity of about 10 people.

Matt brought the sauna to the beach for the big New Year’s cold water dip on Jan. 1, 2024 at Ashbridges Bay. A few interested participants were happy to try it out.

“After that, it just became a thing where I kept bringing the sauna out on weekends, and sometimes evenings,” said Matt.

“Jason was there every single time, helping me set-up and take down. We met so many people who were cold dipping in the lake or playing in the snow that winter. The sauna kind of became a nice comfortable thing to do afterwards, and it has evolved as our shared project from there.”

As Matt and Jason spent more time with the sauna, they agreed that it needed a name. “We wanted to ground ourselves, and be part of the natural environment that exists by the waterfront,” said Matt.

Cedar wood is significant in sauna construction, and cedar’s wonderful aroma is also an integral part of the sauna experience.

“We created our name ‘Sedar’ Sauna from a phonetic spelling of cedar to make it just a little different,” said Jason. “Then we stylized the lettering. When you look at the logo, the ‘e’ and the ‘a’ are reversible. It’s the balance of hot and cold; a nod to the cold exposure experience and the welcoming warmth of the sauna. There’s a flow within the fonts of ‘Sedar,’ and a softness to the look of it.”

These days, Sedar Sauna, Matt, and Jason are a familiar part of the Beach community. The neat, dark brown sauna building smells wonderful with wood smoke and the scent of cedar in the air.

Cold water swimmers and dippers like me come from cold plunges in the lake and hang our dry robes on hooks on the outside of the building. We grab our towels to sit on, rinse our feet in the freshwater basin, and head into a blissful oasis of warmth and camaraderie. The structure itself is built to code and includes a compact wood-burning “sauna stove” and two tiers of cedar benches.

Matt and Jason share a vision and a passion for their Sedar Sauna that’s separate from their livelihoods. “Running our own businesses is what keeps shelter over us and food coming to our tables. That’s the main revenue driver for each of us. So what we’re doing with the sauna may not make sense to large capital investment firms, and that’s okay with us,” said Jason.

In his early days of cold dipping and sauna, Matt felt that the experience wasn’t really accessible to a lot of people. It was more of a luxury, sought out for special occasions, and often expensive. Sedar Sauna’s premise is very different.

Sauna goers book online and have several modest “pay what you can” fee options. Contributions go directly towards essential operational costs such as firewood. Matt noted that the benefits of sauna have been trending in the media over the last decade. He feels we are just beginning to embrace what Nordic countries in particular have practised for centuries.

“We are trying to mimic what sauna culture looks like in countries like Finland. There, cold plunges, rolling in the snow, and sauna practice are an acceptable habit, and often a daily ritual for many people,” he said. “Sauna is accessible and affordable. We’re passionate about the physiological, health and societal benefits that people experience. We can already see how our community benefits from sauna practice, and how much society needs it.”

Matt observed that something remarkable happens in the sauna. “Sitting in this space, stripped down to your swimwear, it really doesn’t matter who you are. Going from cold to hot is a difficult experience for everyone. There’s something bonding about it.”

The people of Finland treat the sauna as a gathering place where equality is understood. Sedar Sauna manifests this also. Both Jason and Matt have seen another level of conversation and connection happening at the sauna.

They describe it as “a vulnerability; a heightened sensitivity, along with individuals’ incredible respect for each other.” The other day Jason overheard two people exiting the sauna. They had never met before, and yet they were in deep conversation about how therapy might help one individual cope with a painful family situation.

Jason and Matt often see this kind of thoughtful human connection at the sauna.. Creating a wellness opportunity is part of the vision that brings Sedar Sauna back to the community every week.

“We also have a really nice relationship with the neighbourhood. We do our best to introduce ourselves, and ask people their thoughts about sauna practice,” said Matt. “So far, the reaction has exceeded our expectations. We hear, ‘This is an amazing idea…We love this…Keep going.’ The validation is consistent. And when we leave, there’s no trace; no environmental impact or any hint that the sauna was ever here.”

To date, the City of Toronto has been supportive. They understand that there is a demand for a service like Sedar Sauna near the waterfront, and that sauna is “good physically, mentally, and for the community.”

Eventually, there may be a spot near the beach where Sedar Sauna can set up seasonally, so that sauna practice can flow safely and easily most days from sunrise to sunset. In the meantime, cold dippers and other sauna enthusiasts continue to show up as an appreciative community at Sedar Sauna.

“You know, these days, the trade wars, tariffs, and great divides of populations and communities are so prevalent – south of the border as well as globally. Sauna is an equating factor bringing our community together. Now more than ever, we need people to come together, to empathize and understand one another,” said Matt.

It’s no surprise to Matt and Jason that the people of Finland are reportedly the happiest on earth. Daily, they embrace hot and cold exposure in their sauna practice.

Meanwhile, in Canada, the cedar tree used to build the sauna is deeply respected in Indigenous culture. Cedar has long been recognized as a powerful symbol of strength and revitalization.

How fortunate are we that Sedar Sauna has arrived in our community. The timing couldn’t be better.