Riverview restaurant repairs begin after car crashed into building

Repairs beginTuesdaynight on an iconic Riverviewrestaurant that received an unexpected visitor Saturday.

John Godfrey owns the Homestead Restaurant,which has been operating on the main thoroughfare since 1993.

"I walked out of the kitchen to see one of the dining room busing carts splintered, flying across the dining room, and the side of our building stowed in by two-and-a-half feet," he toldCBC's Information Morning Moncton.

"I have a seven- or eight-foot hole in the side of our cinder block wall."

There was a couple sitting at that table, right against the wall where it hit.- John Godfrey, owner

A car crashed into a back of the building around4 p.m. on Saturday, when there were more than two dozen diners in the restaurant.

Surprisingly, there were no serious injuries.

"There was a couple sitting at that table, right against the wall where it hit," says Godfrey. "Now luckily, she had gotten up to go to the washroom or else she would have taken the full brunt of the impact."

Godfrey saidthe couple were"shaken up, bounced around some, and shocked," but otherwise unharmed.

Driver hit gas instead of brakes

He said the driver of the car was also OK.

"It's amazing the little bit of damage that was done to the vehicle, considering the damage done to the building," said Godfrey, who noted the airbags on the vehicle didn't even deploy.

"I had a quick conversation with the driver," he said. "She said that she was pulling into a stall at a restaurant next door, went for the brake, and hit the throttle."

Godfrey said the Homestead closedSaturdayafternoon to assess the damage but opened on timeSundaymorning.

Structural engineers were at the siteMonday.

Godfrey expects the restaurant to remain open through most of the reconstruction.

"There may be a day or two down the road where we may have to close for some of the heavy construction takes place but for now we're going to be ready and open to go."

Godfrey said it will likely take a couple of weeks, working mostly evenings, to complete the work.

"We'll just take it as it comes, I guess."