Reversing Falls restaurant in Saint John may avoid demolition

There's been a lot of renewed interest in a Saint Johnlandmark slated for destruction.

In March, Saint John city council quietly approved the demolition of the Reversing Falls restaurant and a tender was issued for its demolition.

• Falls Restaurant in Saint John nears brink of oblivion

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Glenn McAllister, a former Reversing Falls City Tourguide,is among the growing number of frustrated residentsupset about city plans to demolish the restaurant.

"I think it's just an excellent time... to invest in it and get it up and going as quickly as possible and not tear it down."

Another resident,Max Kotlowski,also opposesplans todemolish the location.He has evencommissioned his own radio ads to combat what he sees as a black eye to tourism.

But the person who may save therestaurant is Saint John businessman Guy Barbara.

"There's no reason why we should get rid of a building with this kind of view," Barbara says.

He wants to re-open the restaurant this summer and says he would write a cheque to the city today.

"It would be a cheap thing to fix. So I'm also looking to partner up with other businesses to use this space properly. In the short run, just to get it open quickly, I would be looking to put a tourist bureau in there of my own and also an ice cream parlour. "

Saint John City Councillor Bill Farren is keen to hear Barbara's pitch.

He said he hasalready heard others like it.

"I had another businessman that came up and said he's willing to put offices in it and he knows somebody else that's interested, and so there is all kinds of interest in it and yet all the city staff want to do is rip it down."

Both Farren and Barbara said they have tried to contact city staff regarding the restaurant but have not been successful.