RISING FROM THE ASHES

Agar’s Corner being rebuilt

The owner of Agar’s Corner wants to maintain the character of the old venue when rebuilding the historic farmhouse destroyed by the fire.

Generations of Don Agar’s family lived in the century-old house, which was recently designated a Saskatchewan Heritage property. Built in 1916, the house outside Saskatoon was where Agar’s father grew up and where his grandmother lived until she was 90.

On Tuesday morning, a fire tore through it. Firefighters were at the scene shortly after 4:30 a.m. and had the flames under control by 8 a.m. On Thursday, after fire inspections were complete, Agar planned to start sifting through the remains and begin the cleanup. After that, he can start to rebuild, he said.

“What’s going to help me through this is we’re going to build it more suitable for a restaurant, instead of just taking an old farmhouse and making it into a restaurant,” Agar said. “But we’re still going to do a character-type — like the old feel — keep the farm feel in there, in the place, because we do have the hundred years of history still. ... we still have some stuff around that we can fix it up with and make it feel like our family.”

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Agar said the last two days have been rough for his family. Their house shared the yard with the farm house and when they walk across the yard now and see nothing, it’s tough, he added.

“Hopefully, once we get things cleaned up and we start on the new, then that will get better. Day-today, it’s getting better.”

His mother started the catering business when she could no longer take care of the house and the family moved into a granny suite. Agar helped his mother when he was a teen and into his 20s, soon working alongside her. Later, he and his wife took over the business.

Weddings will continue at the venue in the meantime. Agar said he has been speaking with brides to reassure them that their events will go ahead. The kitchen will be rebuilt first, then the restaurant, he said.

“We’ll make it through this.”

What’s going to help me through this is we’re going to build it more suitable for a restaurant ... We’ll make it through this.

MICHELLE BERG A fire Tuesday morning tore through this century-old farmhouse outside Saskatoon. Don Agar, owner of Agar’s Corner, plans to begin rebuilding the historic venue after the cleanup concludes.