The fire that ripped through and destroyed Rob’s Sports Bar and Roadhouse in Walkerton continued Monday.
It’s believed that the fire, which also damaged the nearby Brockton municipal office, may have started under a back deck.
A number of Walkerton residents made their way past the bar’s Scott Street location Monday, many of them shocked at what they saw.
“A lot of people had a lot of great times in there,” said Ken Hewitson.
“I don’t think they’re going to rebuild, but hopefully we have another place to go in Walkerton.”
Rodney MacDuff owns MacDuff Auto Sales, which has stood next to the bar – previously known as Queen’s – for 65 years.
His business wasn’t affected by the fire, but he’s still upset by the loss, as Rob’s held a lot of memories for him and other Walkerton residents.
“A lot of people would get off work, that’s where they’d go,” he says.
For Rob Lippert, the bar represented a pillar of the community, but also an occasional paycheque – he worked there as a DJ.
“It meant quite a bit to the area,” he says.
“It was the last bar in this town. There’s other restaurants and what-have-you, but it’s not going to be the same.”
Apartments located above the bar were also destroyed in the fire.
One of those apartments was inhabited by the bar owner, who is temporarily living with other family in town and declined to speak with CTV News.
The fire was the second at a Walkerton-area bar in 2013, as the Dunkeld Tavern outside town was hit in March.
South Bruce OPP and the Fire Marshal of Ontario continue to investigate.
