Continued closure of Fort Gibraltar causing changes for soon to be married couples
The closure of Fort Gibraltar following the collapse of an elevated walkway that sent 16 students and one teacher to hospital has left some couples scrambling to find a place to get married.
The fort was closed indefinitely after 17 people were injured during a school field trip. Now, the fort's caterer says they've been working around the clock to find new venues for their clients.
Shawn Brandson runs the catering business at the fort, hosting multiple weddings a week. He said what happened last week was traumatic for everyone.
Following the incident, he thought the area of the fort they use for weddings would be back open. That wasn't the case.
"We should be fine because it's not out area, it's the palisade," Brandson originally thought about the closure.
The weddings that were planned for last week were moved with little notice.
"Not knowing when we can re-enter into our space is a little stressful."
With the venue not reopening, Brandson began to scramble, looking for new venues to host weddings for his clients.
He was able to move two weddings to the St. Norbert's Art Centre, with only 24 and 48 hours until the couples walked the aisle.
"Completely bare bones, so we had to actually move our full kitchen, move all our staff, move all the food. Move everything."
For bride Desiree Penner, she said panic set in for a few minutes.
"Our first reaction was concern for the kids. We have a ten-year-old and we're teachers," she said.
Following the shock, she had to plan a wedding for the next day at different venue, across the city.
After dealing with some panic, she was able to call and re-route guests and decorations were put up.
"It was more beautiful then you can imagine. We are so grateful, the work that they did," said Penner.
Brandson said some clients have had to postpone or cancel their plans because of the closure and he has given back retainers which are supposed to be non-refundable.
"If we're closed for much longer, you know, another month or two months, it will probably put us into bankruptcy," said Brandson.
Festival du Voyageur, who leases the fort from the city, said there is no update at this time on when it could reopen.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
One dead after potential wrong way crash on Highway 401 in Milton: OPP
One person is dead and another is in life-threatening condition after a driver was travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Milton Sunday, according to police.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc insists
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'The Fall Guy' gives Hollywood a muted summer kickoff with a US$28.5M opening
"The Fall Guy," the Ryan Gosling-led, action-comedy ode to stunt performers, opened below expectations with US$28.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, providing a lukewarm start to a summer movie season that's very much to be determined for Hollywood.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
Hamas says latest ceasefire talks have ended. Israel vows military operation in 'very near future'
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after "in-depth and serious discussions,"{ the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.