Between construction and COVID-19, Deane House restaurant is facing challenges on multiple fronts

It's no secret that restaurateurs across Calgary have been struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But that situation has been exacerbated at the Deane House,which is run by proprietorSal Howell.

The front view of the Deane House, a 113-year-old heritage building, is obscuredbehind wire fencing. Howell said it's been like this since construction got underway last year to replace the Ninth Avenue bridge.

"Of course we're disappointed. It would be really very helpful to have that project complete," Howell said. "But I'm sure it's going to be beautiful when it is."

Construction on the newbridge linking Calgary's downtowntoInglewood has been pushed from the end of 2020 to mid-2021.

• New bridge into Inglewood delayed due to issues with steel supplier

"It's posed an enormous challenge to us," Howell said. "But it's a challenge we don't have any control over. It is disappointing it is going to take as long as we have heard."

It's not the first challenge the Deane House has faced in recent years. Last year, a sprinkler valve failed in the attic of the building and water flooded the restaurant.

• Keeping the Deane House alive after flood destroys interior

Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, further exacerbating the prospects of the historic venue.

TheDeaneHousewas built in 1906 for the last commanding superintendent of Fort Calgary, CaptainRichardDeane, and his wife, Martha.

And though the challenges are myriad for the business at this time, Howell said there's no use dwelling on the negatives.

"There's only finding creative solutions and finding a way forward," she said."And Ithink that resilience is a bit of that gritty determination to just keep going."