Thirty-one people will move back into their rooms in the Coach Inn in Owen Sound Friday morning.
Owner Jason Queenen says although they’ve lost the use of nine rooms on the third floor of the building, they’ve shuffled offices and storage to make space for four tenants who lived in the those apartments.
But not everyone gets to go home.
“We’ve had to displace five people that we will no longer have availability for,” explained Queenen.
A number of services in Owen Sound stepped in to take care of 44 residents displaced by the early morning fire on Saturday (Dec 3rd), including Victim Services, the Red Cross, and the United Way of Bruce and Grey.
But Queenen says when it comes to more long term housing, “they’re even having trouble finding accommodations for the five that will be displaced. There’s just nowhere in Owen Sound that can supply housing.”
As for the damaged wing where the fire started, Queenen says contractors have set up a temporary wall to prevent access.
“We really don’t want anybody in that wing,” said Queenen, who explained they’ve left that part of the building relatively untouched since the blaze.
“Contractors have spent all their time and effort getting the rest of the building habitable and safe.”
Queenen says residents who lived in the blocked off wing will be allowed to retrieve just their essential items tomorrow, until a contractor can spend more time cleaning up the area.
The other 26 residents will be moving back into apartments left unscathed by flames, smoke, or water damage.
Queenen couldn’t talk about damage figures, and said their priority has been getting residents back into their homes as quickly and as safely as possible.
A “very rough” damage estimate by Owen Sound Fire Chief Doug Barfoot on the day of the blaze pegged the cost at around $175,000.
Queenen says Jason’s Pub and the Dark Side are still closed, but expects the Pub will open first once carpet is replaced and water damage to the bar is fixed.