Ashley Ward leads a class in the yoga dome
MICHAELA BELL
Resort owners Ward (left) and Katie Carson
MADELINE TAYLOR
The Nature Suites allow for relaxing and socializing
MADELINE TAYLOR
Inspired wellness
When the pandemic struck, BFFs Ashley Ward and Katie Carson lost their jobs in the hospitality field. While sharing a glass of wine one night, the two discussed opening a wellness resort that would not only put the environment first, but also support the community.
“We were both single mums uninspired by our jobs [and] searching for a way to make a difference in our industry while supporting local businesses and artisans,” Ward explains.
The adventure was not without hiccups. “When a piece of land came our way,” Carson says, “we signed our lives away to the bank and decided to learn as we went.”
The result: the Hope-Wellness Eco-Resort. It’s a 20-acre, sustainable Scandinavian-inspired four-season resort in Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick, overlooking the Bay of Fundy.—Wendy Kitts
Environment First
Costco members Ashley Ward and Katie Carson had a shared goal to reimagine the resort experience. They pictured one that doesn’t compromise the environment and one that values the land and the community that surrounds it.
At Hope-Wellness Eco-Resort, they use natural cleaning products crafted in-house, solar energy, locally sourced food and beverages, and rainwater for their organic gardens. Cabins were built from wood milled on-site and feature local products, including linens made of natural fibres.—WK