Fergie's Cafe

The layout of the dining area underneath the elevated building.

Leafy branches reach over the wall of the covered walkway which is supported by black structural steel. Windows offer a glimpse into the restaurant kitchen.

The angled steel staircase has perforated steel mesh side panels.

The horizontal structure with light cedar siding is a trailer with indoor seating and part of the original Fergie's scheme. "The landscape is bermed up to hide the wheels," Hunter says.

An LED light strip under the siding draws people along the boardwalk.

The new design is intensely personal. "We don’t do anything by halves," Jessamy says. "This is our legacy." Hunter notes the grace with which the couple handled the aftermath of the fire and resulting redesign. "It was very emotional to lose a business and then have the scrutiny of a community with so many opinions. Jess and Jake were very gracious throughout the process."

About a Stool barstools by Hay line the 20-foot counter that is faced with tile from Ames Tile & Stone. "It had been discontinued, so we got a great price and bought all the remaining inventory," Walker says. Volumes pendants by ANDlight in Vancouver hang above it. Local craftsman Roland Benesocky at Generation Fine Woodwork made the cabinetry behind the bar.

Long black metal tables and benches from Case Furniture's EOS collection populate the underbelly of the building, which became a dining pavilion.

Pops of blue throughout, from the chairs to the coffee mugs to the washroom vestibule, are an affectionate nod to the original Fergie's Cafe. "It's smartened up, but the heart is the same," Jake says.

The walkway and balcony are nestled into the canopy of the 100-year-old walnut tree.

After Jessamy and Jake purchased the Sunwolf resort in July 2010, local fishermen persuaded them to reopen the defunct Fergie’s Cafe. "With enthusiasm and naïveté, we just went for it," Jessamy says. The new Fergie’s opened for business in August 2019.

"We were always able to add more picnic tables to the property, but this sheltered outdoor area is a such a gift," Jake says. "The fireplace makes it even more comfy."

Steel beams, painted black, support the timber slab floor and roof. "Leaving flat planes of dowel laminated timber and C-shaped steel supports exposed is an honest way of expressing the architectural structure," Hunter says.

Hunter used prefabricated dowel laminated timber panels by StructureCraft for the ceiling and floor, which he left exposed, and the bar ledge is made from black-painted steel. The view looks straight to Mount Alpha.

"You can cantilever the timber slab quite far; it’s 10 feet out without any structure supporting it," Hunter says.

Old-timers wanted them to resurrect the kitschy shack, but given the rigorous building requirements and resulting financial investment, that vision didn’t make sense. "If we were going to spend this much just for a foundation, we weren’t going to put a shack on top of it," Jessamy says.

The building is supported by concrete piers that stand on a five-by-five-by-two-foot foundation. "It’s the size of a footing for a high-rise apartment building, even though it’s a single-story," Hunter says.

Casual stadium stairs can serve as a playspace or seating. "It's an intentional way of moving people down into the landscape," Hunter says.

The bar is topped with a solid maple slab fabricated by local artisan Brendan Rivison. "We couldn't find a slab long enough, so I added a piece in the center and turned it 90 degrees, so the grain changes direction," Walker says. "This beautifully and subtly delineates the server pick-up zone."