Grand Falls-Windsor —
Maurice Sweeney of Grand Falls-Windsor is anxious to be back in business.
Sweeney is the manager of Sweeney’s Service Centre and Delta Rental Car. Both were located at 30 Duggan St. until last Tuesday morning, when a massive fire destroyed the building.
“The rental car (business) was just operating there as just a counter space, and the garage was operating (there), full operations,” Sweeney said.
“We lost two (rental) cars … our old plow truck and all of our garage equipment is a total write-off.”
A and R Trailer Repair Limited and Trans Island Recovery were also located at the address.
After losing all of his equipment, and a home for his business, Sweeney is now on the hunt for a new building for his service centre.
He said the rebuilding would take time. His father has been in the business for 40 years, Sweeney for 30 years.
“That’s all you can do … just go again,” he said.
“Everybody has been good to us. A lot of customers have phoned us and told us they’ll be around when we need them, and I’ve had a couple buildings offered … it’s been rough, but it’s all a part of it.”
But there is a silver lining for Sweeney. The majority of his rental fleet was stored at his home, where he is currently managing the car rental business.
“We’re now operating at 118 Grenfell Heights,” he said.
“We (didn’t) store anything on Duggan Street, only what would fit inside, because of vandalism down there. The track bed is down behind (the building) and the young ones are down there partying. They have trashed vehicles, but we haven’t given them the chance (to damage ours).”
Sweeney knows there will be a long road ahead, and said he’s ready to pick up the pieces, but isn’t sorry to see the week behind him.
“It’s been hard.”
The Advertiser
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