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Restoration work on the Bistro underway

A work crew from Total Restoration has been busy at the Riverbed Bistro since Friday, March 14, working to restore the Keremeos business
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Matt Lowe of Total Restorations working on the Riverbed Bistro. A five man crew is presently at work cleaning up the site where fire gutted the upper floor on February 2.

A work crew from Total Restoration has been busy at the Riverbed Bistro since Friday, March 14, working to restore the Keremeos business following a devastating fire on February 1.

Dale Senger foreman of the five man crew at work on the site, said March 20 that his crew was gutting the upper floor, basically stripping it to its interior framing.

“The drywall has been wet for over a month,” he said, “so it’s all coming out, walls and ceilings.”

Some damage also occurred to the roof, the apex of which was covered by a blue tarpaulin. Senger said his crew had a big job ahead of them.

“We spent  the first few days just moving stuff,” he said, “we’ll likely be here through next week.” He said tradesmen would be arriving later in the week in the hope that a temporary electric service can be installed.

Senger said after his team has completed their work, the whole building will have to be inspected before services can be reactivated. The building’s appliances will also have to pass inspection prior to returning to service.

Once the restoration crew’s work is done, Senger will return to the building  in order to apply a chemical designed to displace the  odour of  smoke. He said residents shouldn’t worry if they see something that looks like smoke emanating from the building next week - that will be him applying the chemical.

The Riverbed Bistro suffered severe fire damage to its upper floor and water damage in the restaurant after a fire on Saturday, February 2. A subsequent police investigation deemed the fire as arson.

The building is believed to be up for sale, and it is not yet known whether it will be back in operation this summer.