What's new at B.C.'s Radium Hot Springs after its $29M makeover

The Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt after the completion of construction in 2024. (Parks Canada/Tetra Tech Canada Inc.)

The Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park has undergone a $29-million makeover.

The hot mineral waters at the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt attracts more than 200,000 visitors every year.

Now, the building has been upgraded and repaired to ensure it remains a tourist destination for years to come.

The federal government announced the completion of the project on Monday, saying in a news release that the upgrades will help the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt offer a "modern, safe, accessible and inclusive experience" for visitors and community members.

The multi-million-dollar makeover included renovations to the restaurant, gift shop and change rooms, and the addition of a new rooftop sundeck.

The building's mechanical and electrical systems were also modernized, including the installation of energy-efficient technology to leverage geothermal energy from the hot springs.

Officials say the facility was also made more resilient to climate change through upgrades to the cold pool that help protect it from flooding and improve visitor safety.

A culvert was also installed under the building to direct water flow in an effort to protect the foundation from erosion while safeguarding nearby fish habitats.

The Radium Hot Springs are the largest of three hot springs that are managed by Parks Canada. The other hot springs include Banff Upper Hot Springs in Banff National Park and the Miette Hot Springs in Jasper National Park.

Steven Guilbeault, the federal minister responsible for Parks Canada, says the upgrades will result in tangible benefits for local community members, visitors and the nation's tourism industry.

The hot springs have been used by the Ktunaxa and Secwépemc people for their therapeutic properties for decades, and are regarded as sacred places of healing and rejuvenation.

"Radium Hot Springs has served as a place to relax, heal and connect with nature throughout the seasons," said Shuswap Band Chief Barb Coté

"These springs hold the same cultural value for the Secwépemc today as they did for our ancestors."

The Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt was the first major construction project undertaken in the western national parks following the Second World War.

It opened to the public in 1951.