On Tuesday, investigators told CTV News that the building is a total loss and the damage is close to two million dollars.
“This for [the] just building, we’re not counting business damage and things like that,” said Tom Mulvey, Puslinch fire chief.
Firefighters were first called to the fire at around 12.45pm on Saturday 31st July.
Flames can be seen shooting out of windows and filling the sky with smoke.  The fire transformed the building.  It is considered a total loss.
Officials say it is still too dangerous to enter the remains of the burned restaurant, and due to the extensive damage, an investigation into the cause of the fire has not yet begun.
No one was injured in the fire.  Commenters online restaurant credit staff for safe exit of all.
Heavy equipment will be needed to dismantle the building so the investigation can continue.
“The building had a metal roof and everything outside the building has collapsed into the basement.  So there’s a large amount of debris in the basement of the building and that’s where we believe the fire originated,” Mulvey said.  “As they begin to remove that metal roof and some other debris, it will perhaps expose the area of ​​origin.”
The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) has been contacted, but they say it has been decided to leave the investigation in the hands of officials in Puslinch.

The Old Marina restaurant on Lake Puslinch is on fire. (Twitter: @brent_bullough) (July 30, 2022)
Nearby resident Larry Hackbart visited the site to view the damage. He says the food at the Old Marina Restaurant many years ago is what sold him and his wife when they moved to the area.

“[On Saturday] I came here and my heart sank,” Hackbart said.  “Our hearts are broken.  It is terrible.  This building, these people, are part of our family.”

Hackbart says his wife’s celebration of life was held at the restaurant just a month ago.

“One of the staff that I’ve known for a long time, when we saw each other, we just hugged and we both cried,” Hackbart said.  “It hurts. It still hurts.”
Mulvey warns people not to get too close to the charred remains.

“People have come to take a look.  They are coming and crossing the fire lines and we cannot tolerate that.  It’s an unsafe building and we don’t want anyone to get hurt.  We haven’t been injured yet and we haven’t [want to] start now,” Mulvey said.

A picture of the Old Marina restaurant shows what came before. (Courtesy Restaurant/Old Marina)

There has been some indication through an online fundraiser that there are plans to rebuild the restaurant.  These have not been confirmed.

The Old Marina Restaurant and Gift House was built in 1993. It was destroyed in a fire in 2005 before reopening in 2007.

The property on the shores of Lake Puslinch has almost a century of history.  It was formerly home to a ballroom and a hotel in what is now the McClintock Water Ski School.