The former Malahat Mountain Inn has new owners who are giving the place a new name and a makeover.
Randy and Lori Strandlund take possession of the inn and restaurant at 265 Trans Canada Highway in the next few days.
They will relocate to live there and operate the boutique inn that will be renamed Moon Water Lodge and the Lookout Restaurant.
The Strandlunds are taking over a landmark property that has served generations of tourists and commuters.
It’s been a popular ice cream and burger stop providing spectacular views of Finlayson Arm.
In more recent years, customers pulled in for fine dining and live music.
The inn has been in foreclosure and has not operated for almost a year, Randy Strandlund said Friday. The purchase price was not revealed.
After a 20-year career in construction based in Saanich, Strandlund is moving back to the hospitality sector, where he spent a dozen years.
First, they will reopen the property’s 10 rooms. The couple plans to upgrade beds, linens and televisions as well as install air conditioning, Strandlund said.
Their aim is to open mid-March.
“I think we are going to have a lot of fun with it. We are really going to try to involve the local community as much as possible,” Strandlund said.
This includes reaching out to local First Nations to showcase their culture.
The sale includes totem poles, which have been on the site more than 70 years.
Brother Al Strandlund, a chef, will help start up a revamped restaurant with a menu focusing on fresh, local ingredients as well as local wines.
The restaurant, with more than 100 seats, will require more work than the rooms because a new kitchen will be required, Strandlund said.
A renovation plan will see the outside patio improved and a coffee spot and gift shop added inside. Strandlund is hoping to hire a baker and sell baked goods.
In the past, the site offered a viewing deck. Strandlund would like to recreate a place where drivers can pull over to enjoy the scenery and view interpretative information on the Saanich Inlet. The glacially carved inlet is about 230 metres deep and has high plankton populations along with herring, hake and salmon spawning in the Goldstream River.
The property used to be called the Malahat Chalet. In 1957, it was sold to an owner who announced he would spend $20,000 to expand it. Previous owners had held it for 10 years, a Daily Colonist story said.
Fire destroyed the original chalet in September 1958, leaving only the stone chimney standing. The cedar building burned to the ground in a little more than an hour.
It was replaced with a new post-and-beam design in 1960.
In 1997, the Malahat Mountain Inn reopened after a six-week renovation and a fresh menu. It was known for its top-notch cuisine and live music.
