New Cold Bath House by the shore of Väsmans
Ludvika Paddling Club's project meets goals within the intervention area ”Improve living conditions for the people in Bergslagen” as the purpose is to establish a Cold Bath House with sauna and relaxation that attracts both Ludvika residents and tourists to a warming bath.
About the project
The purpose of the project is to increase the quality of life for sauna enthusiasts in Ludvika and surrounding areas.
The goal of the project is to build a cold bath house with sauna, relaxation, and toilet by the shore of Väsmans. The aim is to arrange trial sessions for sauna bathing.
The activities in the project include project management, land preparation, and construction of the cold bath house with associated sauna, relaxation, and toilet, as well as free trial sessions.
The Leader Method
The project has collaboration between different sectors and has a local anchoring, requested by many. Project leader Bengt explains:
Ludvika and surrounding areas, the public, newly hired foreign-born employees at Hitachi, student engineers, etc. are very
interested. The hotels, the municipality, the schools, Visit Dalarna, Sisu, etc. There has been a lot of people asking what is
happening with the Cold Bath House. We get the question daily. We conduct winter bathing all winter by maintaining an ice-free hole and it is about 800-1000 dips/winter.
The project has a plan for its duration. Project leader Bengt explains:
We estimate that the Cold Bath House can be utilized for at least 50 years. It will be organized with different sauna groups that ensure it is maintained, cleaned, heated, booked, etc. When the construction is complete, the club will arrange its own committee for the sauna. The committee will handle bookings, cleaning, heating, etc. A committee member will likely join the board so that it is represented at
board meetings on how things are going with the sauna.
More information
Contact Ludvika Paddling Club, Bengt Hjort.
Link to Facebook page.
Improve living conditions
”As there are already many foreign-born individuals participating in paddling, winter bathing, etc., the cold bath house will become an additional meeting place that promotes equal treatment of individuals.
Seniors can meet and escape the loneliness that many have
today.”
About the project
Project period
2025-2026
Project owner
Ludvika Paddling Club
Project Manager
Bengt Hjort
Contact information
ludvikapaddlarklubb@gmail.com
About the project
The LAG board has chosen to prioritize the New Cold Bath House by the shore of Väsmans with approval as it will lead to the fulfillment of the local development strategy as a whole. Specifically, this is a project that meets goals within the intervention area Improve living conditions for the people in Bergslagen as the purpose is to establish a Cold Bath House with sauna and relaxation that attracts both Ludvika residents and tourists to a warming bath.
The LAG board believes that a community-driven sauna has good prospects of becoming a popular meeting place by the shore of Väsmans. Long-term effects of the project are that sauna use can combat loneliness and contribute to intergenerational community spirit.
The project is considered public utility as the purpose is to build a cold bath house for the public by the shore of Väsmans, centrally located in Ludvika. It is the rural residents who will benefit from the project.
The investment for which the project receives support must remain in place and be used for the same purpose for at least five years from the date of final payment.
About financing
Total leader support
698,000 kronor
Leader funding
100%
Nonprofit resources
119,000 kr
Leader support consists of funding from the EU, the state and Leader Bergslagen.
Incoming EU funds have been granted from:
Rural Development Fund
