Our Space
We considered the water, the sky, and our children’s children when we did the following:
Reception
Our reception area is on the second floor of 304 Brunswick Ave. We ask that everyone signs in at reception before choosing one of our three changerooms: (1) female identified, trans inclusive (2) male identified, trans inclusive (3) gender neutral change pod.
MASKS – We ask that everyone wear masks once they enter the building, in the reception area and change rooms.
SOCIAL DISTANCING – There are markers on the floor indicating 6 feet apart between people in common areas.
Large Room
Our main studio is a large room with many windows on both corners, letting in natural light. We have a large brick wall, cork floors; a sustainable product which acts as a natural shock absorber, and contains anti-microbes that prevent bacteria from entering the floor.
Social distancing is in effect, and all mat spots are designated a generous 6 feet apart.
Small Room
We have another room down the hall!
This smaller room provides a cosy space for our some classes, workshops, private sessions, and room rentals.
Our small room is currently closed for group classes, but is available for private bookings.
Regular Temperature & Hot Classes
Our large studio has eco-friendly heating panels to support warm and hot classes. Our HVAC machine pulls air from inside the studio outdoors, while pulling outside air in, to exchange the hot air with fresh air! This helps transition our studio from hot to regular temperature, so we can support various class styles!
At this time, we are only offering regular temperature classes.
Natural Disinfectant
We keep our studio clean with Benefect, a 100% botanical and hospital-grade disinfectant made of plant products, such as thyme oil. How does it work? Similar to the human production of antibodies, plants produce germ-killing essential oils to protect against invading microbes. Benefect has been proven to kill over 99.99% of bacteria, and it surpasses Health Canada’s efficacy requirements for broad spectrum hospital disinfectants.
Radiant Heating
We use radiant heat panels to warm our hot studio to the desired temperature. Radiant panels warm objects, (i.e. yoga students) directly rather than the entire studio, reducing energy consumption up to 40%.
Cork Studio Floor
We chose cork floors for our studio for many reasons. From an environmental perspective, cork floors do not damage trees. Cork is a natural, sustainable product that is produced from tree bark. From a health perspective, cork is as a natural shock absorber (think Birkenstocks!) and it contains anti-microbes that prevent bacteria from entering the floor.
Friendly Cleaning Products
The studio is cleaned exclusively with environmentally friendly products, which are hypo-allergenic and contain no perfumes, dyes, formaldehyde preservatives, ammonia or other common allergens. We choose biodegrade efficient plant based products. We shop locally for these products at Grassroots across the street.
VOC-Free Paints
Most paints require the use of petroleum-base solvents, which produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Once in the atmosphere, VOCs react with other chemicals to form ozone, a major pollutant. We use a VOC-free paint product that has virtually no odor or solvents, and it will not result in adverse affects on people or the quality of environment. Since we focus on breathing deeply at Kula, this choice was a must for optimal health.
Mason Jars instead of bottled water
We offer reusable mason jars to ensure students stay well hydrated while avoiding the proliferation of plastic water bottles in the world.
Low-Flow Toilets
Saves gallons and gallons of water with each flush!
LED Lighting
We exclusively use LED light bulbs in all our lighting at the studio. Besides being 80% efficient (in comparison to incandescent bulbs which are only 20% efficient), LED bulbs last up to 22 years each, do not contain toxic chemicals (like fluorescent bulbs which contain mercury), and are recyclable.
Land Acknowledgement
“Toronto is in the ‘Dish With One Spoon Territory’. The Dish With One Spoon is a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee that bound them to share the territory and protect the land. Subsequent Indigenous Nations and peoples, Europeans and all newcomers have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship and respect.”
The “Dish”, or “Bowl”, represents what we now call southern Ontario, from the Great Lakes to Quebec and from Lake Simcoe into the United States. When it is said that “we all eat out of the Dish, all of us that share this territory, with only one spoon”, it means we share in the responsibility of ensuring the dish is never empty. We must all take care of the land and the creatures we share it with. Knives are not welcome at the table, representing that we must keep the peace.
The land acknowledgement started in British Columbia, between the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee after the French and Indian War, when there were no treaties in place in B.C. It now has expanded to include The Royal Proclamation/The Treaty of Niagara (1764). Its popularity has spread as Canadians realize the necessity to acknowledge the presence and assertion of sovereignty of the Indigenous peoples. It is used in a variety of ways, such as at opening events and meetings, but over time it seems to be losing its meaning, as people say the words without really focusing on the importance of each word.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and taking the time to process the emotion and meaning behind these words. We have this posted at our studio as well, and would be happy to engage in a discussion about this at any time. We understand there is room to grow and learn; we welcome it.
Kula cites Ryerson University as a source of information and wording, and would like to add some of our own wording in addition:
Kula understands we reside on the land specific to the Anishinaabe, since we are in the Annex of Toronto. We will do our best to take care of the land, air, water, and spirit that we share.