Fire Strikes Marble Lake Lodge – Aramas Plan to Rebuild

Last Saturday Night, just after midnight, Connie and David Arama were getting ready for bed, when Connie saw smoke coming from the corner of the restaurant.

The couple live in a house just across from Marble Lake Lodge and Hungry Moose Restaurant building, which they have owned and operated since purchasing the now 80 year old property in 2012.

David went over and saw that a fire had started near the walk-in fridge. They called 911 and he tried to get some water on the fire through a broken window. Fire crews arrived quickly, but by the time they were able to get a water supply and shuttle in place the fire had already spread. Arama hustled over to get the two people and two dogs who lived in another part of the building out to safety, and to secure the site, his training as a survivalist kicking in. Connie closed off all the propane supplies, which were on the other side of the kitchen from where the fire started.

Although they saved much of the building from burning to the ground, there is no way to rebuild and the Aramas are resigned to the fact it will need to be torn down.

“The first thing I would say about what happened is that the fire crews that came from Kaladar-Barrie, Plevna and Denbigh, I believe, are heroic. To say we have a volunteer fire department is not really true. They were calm, professional, they did everything that could have been done. The outcome would have been the same if this had happened in a city, except if there was a hydrant a few feet away and they did not have to travel to get water, and set up a shuttle. I think people do not realise what kind of fire service we have, they should be pretty happy,” said Arama.

The second thing he talked about was the community response since the fire.

“When it first happened, once everyone was safe and the fire was out, I thought 'we are done.' I was planning to sell anyway, and we have other properties, including a wilderness camp up north. Who wants to start over at 67?” he asked.

But starting on Sunday afternoon and all day on Monday, emails and Facebook messages have been pouring in.

“We've heard from kids who grew up coming to the lodge, using the cabins, fishing in the lake, former owners, all kinds of people telling us how much they appreciate what we have done here. They say 'Connie is the best', they love the live music, they love the food and the friendly atmosphere, everything. And we also have ten people working here, full and part time, so I've done a complete 360. We are not going anywhere. Once the site is cleaned up and insurance is settled, we'll deal with the financing and will rebuild. It will take a couple of years but we will rebuild.”

In the interim, aside from the restaurant/lodge, the rest of the five acre site is intact, thanks to the fire crews keeping the fire from spreading.

There are 6 cabins, a trailer for rent, tent and trailer sites, a playground and other amenities at Marble Lake, and those are all undamaged and remain open and operating.

“People will need to go elsewhere for ice cream and a restaurant, but mostly they bring food with them for the bbq anyway, so nothing much changes. And the resorts nearby are going to extend some of their hours to accommodate extra traffic, as they should, so summer is still happening here, but without the lodge.”

Less than 48 hours after the fire, plans are already taking shape, at least in the minds of the Aramas, for how to rebuild something to fit the modern business environment. There will be a couple of buildings, to accommodate a bar and stage for live music. A restaurant/dining and expanded take out set up, since takeout is bigger than eat-in dining now. And some housing units as well.

“It will be a lot of work, but we are up for it. Musicians have contacted us for fundraising concerts, people talking about Gofundme, all of that. And the design and lining up contractors and all that are going to be a nightmare, I'm sure, but we are up for it.”

For now, the fire department will have to determine a cause. Arama thinks it was an electrical fire, but that is up to the fire marshall's office to determine, and then the insurance adjusters will have to come in as well, but then he figures everything will have to come down and be hauled away, 80 years of history.

After things settle over the next few days, the Aramas will get away to their northern property for a few days to rest, and gain some perspective.

“It's a shock, no doubt about it. For me, my survivalist training allows me to remain calm and deal with what is in front of me. But after that, you collapse.”

One thing they are buoyed by is a feeling that when they move on to the next stage for Marble Lake Lodge, there is a supportive community behind them, and there is more support than they were aware of, before Saturday night's fire.