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
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.