Island Café owner says they plan to rebuild after fire destroys Ward’s Island clubhouse, restaurant

The owner of a beloved cafe on one of the Toronto Islands says they plan to rebuild when they can after a fire destroyed the restaurant and community hub over the weekend. 

The fire broke out at the Ward’s Island Association Clubhouse and Island Café around 2 a.m. on Sunday and destroyed the building.

Co-owner Peter Freeman was alerted to the fire by his neighbour. Freeman says within minutes, the building was gone. “When I came down … the flames were huge.”

He said the community has been rallying around them.

“It sort of hits you in waves … we’ve had an incredible flood of people from everywhere,” Freeman added. “I just can’t believe all these people…wondering and reaching out just with love.”

Local residents are also grieving the loss of the neighbourhood staple.

Anne Barber, who lives near the building, says she pulled open her curtains at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday and saw the clubhouse building had turned into a black hole of ashes and smoke. 

Barber says the local community will need time to grieve and process the loss of the clubhouse that hosted many memorable events, including weddings and parties. 

Toronto Fire Deputy Chief Larry Cocco says a team of investigators is on scene looking into the origin and cause of the fire. 

He says heavy equipment is being used to help the investigators go through the scene to look for anything that can help them understand what caused the fire. 

“The investigators are sifting through debris to look through artefacts that would help them ascertain origin and cause,” said Cocco.

Investigators will also be interviewing witnesses and canvassing homeowners for video that may help.

Meanwhile, some residents say while they’re glad no one was injured, they worry about future fires that have the potential to spread rapidly.

“Our community is all wood buildings, every house is a timber wood building and is at high risk if there’s a fire…if it’s more than one house, there just isn’t the firefighting equipment to deal with that,” said Alice Norton, a nearby resident.

The clubhouse was home to the Ward’s Island Association and the Island Café. Built in the late 1930s, it was host to several events primarily during the spring and summer months.

The co-owner of the Island Cafe says while the family is devastated by the loss, the intention is to move forward and rebuild when they can. 

Ward’s Island is one of several islands that make up Toronto Island Park.