Restaurant wants to rebuild at same site

The owner of the burned-out Italian Kitchen Restaurant in Lake Country would like to rebuild on the same site, at Holiday Park, if a new deal can be worked out with the owner.

Sherman Dahl of the Vernon-based Pretium Group says they’ve now completed most of their insurance claim after both the insurance provider and RCMP ruled the fire in September was accidental and not suspicious.

“So now the Italian Kitchen group is going to actively look at what we’re going to do in the spring because we would love to reopen in Lake Country. But we’re still waiting for some direction from Holiday Park,” Dahl told Vernon Matters.

Dahl said their first choice would be work with Dan Sigal, CEO of the park, who Dahl says has been an “absolutely fantastic landlord.”

“The combination of the wonderful business relationship with Holiday Park, plus all the wonderful people that live in the park, it really is a nice place for the Italian Kitchen Company,” Dahl added. That would be our first choice.”

Dahl isn’t sure about other locations in Lake Country which would change the costs and other factors.

Dahl said he will be reaching out to Sigal in the coming weeks on future plans for Holiday Park, which is owned by another family.

“They have to provide a home for us in the park.”

Dahl said the actual cause of the fire is not known, but one theory is a discarded cigarette.

He says there was no wrongdoing by the restaurant staff.

“The matter is closed now at the RCMP level,” said Dahl. “Their final report and recommendation would match that of the insurance company, that it was accidental.”

The Pretium Group also owns Wings, Top Choice Pizza and the Italian Kitchen in Vernon.