The community of MacTier is devastated after the village’s only restaurant went up in flames over the weekend.
Cottage Country Family Diner has been a thriving business in the community for years, but all that remains now is an outer shell.
“The owners were great to everybody. They supported the community,” says resident Steven Shell.
Flames ripped through the restaurant on Saturday night, causing more than $500,000 in damages.
The building has been in MacTier for decades. It has changed names and owners over the years, but has always been a restaurant.
The most recent couple who ran the diner are devastated, but people in the community say they are what made the restaurant special.
“They're great people. You couldn't ask for nicer people,” Shell said.
“She was well known for doing her baking and slipping you a little baking on the side,” said friend Bill Demkiw.
The restaurant was a gathering place for the community. The only coffee shop in the village is located inside a hardware store.
The investigation in to the cause of the fire is being handled by the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office.
At this point investigators aren’t saying if the fire is considered suspicious.
