CARLA WILSONTimes Colonist

The renovated CPRSteamship Terminal build-ing, after a long and some-times contentious search,has an anchor tenant — anindoor and outdoor water-front restaurant that willfeature micro-brews andwine on tap.

“It is going to be spectac-ular,” said Wayne Holm,partner in the Extra MileHospitality Group, whichwill open its fourth Romer’srestaurant in the historicBelleville Street building.“We are beside ourselves.”

Romer’s Waterfront TapRoom will hold 100 seatsindoors, on the level acces-sible from the street, plusanother 100 outdoors on anew deck, which can beused five or more months ayear, depending on weather,Holm said Tuesday.

“It’s a unique situationwhich really contributes tohelping define it as a desti-nation,” Holm said.

Romer’s could be openAug. 1, or possibly earlier,he said. It is difficult to saybecause of the permits andwork required.

The company has openedtwo restaurants under theRomer’s Burger Bar bannerand is opening a third inFebruary, all in the Vancou-ver area. In Victoria, theRomer’s will be a little lesscasual than the burger bars.

Holm, a member of theB.C. Restaurant Hall ofFame, has a string of suc-cesses. They include part-ownership in the Keg,co-founder of the SpectraGroup of Great Restau-

rants, president of Caratrestaurant group, and co-founder of Milestones. ChefJim Rome and restaurantentrepreneur Scott Ward,part of the original Mile-stones development group,are partners with Holm inExtra Mile Hospitality.

The Steamship Terminal,an Inner Harbour landmarkwith its columns and tem-ple-like motif, was designedby architects P.L. Jamesand Francis Rattenbury,and opened in 1924.

For decades, it was agateway for people travel-ling by sea to and from Vic-toria.

The Royal London WaxMuseum moved in as themain tenant in 1969. In2010, the Provincial CapitalCommission, the building’slandlord, forced themuseum out to allow for aseismic upgrade. While thatwork went on, the commis-sion sought new uses forthe building.

It fielded proposals for amaritime museum, a mar-ketplace, a restaurant andan attraction focusing onB.C. history.

The commission, whichwas showered with sugges-tions from the public, even-tually signed a deal with the

Greater Victoria HarbourAuthority.

The authority said itwould bring together a mixof shops, food and beverageoutlets, exhibition spaceand offices. For the longerterm, it said it wouldexplore returning the build-ing to use as a terminal.

Romer’s will use3,500 square feet indoorsand 2,000 square feet on anoutdoor deck. The build-ing’s total space is about21,000 square feet.

“It’s going to be phenom-enal,” harbour authorityCEO Curtis Grad said of theRomer’s project. “This will

probably be the meetingplace in Victoria for peoplewho just want to watch theworld go by.”

The public will be able towalk into the second levelfrom Belleville Street andgo to a coffee bar, anexhibits area and retailspaces that are still to beleased.

The other major tenantsigned so far is the Bate-man Foundation. It is finish-ing renovations to the thirdand fourth levels for an artgallery and offices, and willhave a retail presence onthe second level.cjwilson@timescolonist.com

ARTS C9BRIDGE C2BUSINESS B1

CAPITAL A3CLASSIFIEDS D5COMICS B7

CROSSWORDS C2EDITORIALS A10HOROSCOPE D7

LES LEYNE A10LETTERS A11LIFE C1

AT HOME C6, C7OBITUARIES D5SPORTS D1

SUDOKU C2TELEVISION C10WEATHER D8

CIRCULATION, 250-382-2255 HOW TO REACH US, A2 155TH YEAR | NO. 30 93¢ PLUS TAXW E D N E S D AY S E C T I O N SA NEWS, CAPITAL, EDITORIALB BUSINESS, WORKING, COMICSC LIFE, AT HOME, ARTS, TVD SPORTS, CLASSIFIEDS, WEATHER

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 Victoria, British Columbia High 5. Low 4. Details, D8 Breaking news at timescolonist.comTC PUBLICATION LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

BRUCE STOTESBURY, TIMES COLONISTFrom left, Greater Victoria Harbour Authority’s Sonterra Ross, chief operating officer; Curtis Grad, CEO; and RebeccaPenz, manager for sustainability and quality management, stand on the sill of the renovated CPR Steamship Building.

HERE’S WHAT’S SHAKING IN SEISMIC UPGRADES FOR VICTORIA SCHOOLS >A3

CPR building gets an anchor200-seat B.C.restaurant endslong search formain tenant

JUDITH LAVOIETimes Colonist

The fence posts surround-ing Kerry Hollebone’s horsefield on Holland Avenue aredecorated with flowers andribbons, left as memorialsto China Doll, the miniaturehorse fatally attacked in herstall this month.

The tributes are alsosymbols of the horror feltby Greater Victoria resi-dents after the horse,known as Dolly, had to beeuthanized because her rec-tum was torn by someonewho inserted an unknowninstrument.

“A lot of people arepretty upset,” Hollebone

said. “So many people havearrived on our doorstepwith cards and flowers andmany others have written,phoned and emailed.”

However, Saanich policeare no closer to discoveringwho attacked the horse andare again appealing for thepublic’s help.

“We have had no tips andno person of interest identi-

fied at this time,” saidSaanich police spokesmanSgt. Steve Eassie.

“We are still waiting forresults of the forensic exam-inations, but the scope issomewhat limited,” he said.

Police are testing an itemleft at the scene, but it is notcertain that it is connectedto the crime, Eassie said.

A post-mortem was con-

ducted by veterinarianDanica Olenick, who foundsigns of trauma, swellingand bruising around thevulva, vagina and anus, butno clues about the identityof the attacker.

The four-year-old horse,who was just 75 centime-tres tall at the shoulder, hadto be euthanized becausethe tear allowed feces to

enter her abdomen.An anonymous Saanich

resident has offered to putup $2,000 as a reward forinformation leading to anarrest and is hoping anorganization will offer toadminister the fund andthat others will add to it.“You just never know whatthis person is going to donext and, if we put up areward, maybe someonewill come forward,” he said.

Hollebone is also plead-ing for anyone who was inthe neighbourhood about11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, tothink back to that night.

“The lights are pointedright at the picket fencethat was broken,” she said.

Until someone is caught,Hollebone will not bringhome her other miniaturehorse, Drifter, who is withfriends.

That means life is muchlonelier, she said.

“The little barn is empty.No tiny pinto mare paws theground as I come out to feedher. No horses chase eachother around the paddock,kicking up their heels, fullof life and energy,” she said.

“We struggle with such aviolent ending to such ashort little life.”jlavoie@timescolonist.com

Tributes to a horse felled by violence

Police appeal forpublic’s help infinding attacker

ABOVE LEFT: FAMILY PHOTO | LYLE STAFFORD, TIMES COLONISTFlowers and bows adorn fence posts in memory of a miniature horse known as Dolly.

Busted fordope andmisspelling

Forget store-boughtsauces. Eric Akis offersfour tantalizing sauces youcan make easily in yourown kitchen. > Life, page C1

Eric Akis hasfour saucesyou’ll crave

Hooray for Bollywood!The annual Times of IndiaFilm Awards is coming toVancouver, thanks largelyto the B.C. government.It’s spending $11 millionto help pay for thethree-day extravaganzathat will bring some ofIndia’s biggest stars to theprovince in April.> Arts, page C9

Dealers in a widespreadVictoria dial-a-dopeoperation stashed drugsinside a fake Duracellbattery — misspelledDurasell — that was con-cealed inside a flashlight.During the takedown,Victoria police confiscated$25,000 in cash, heroin,crack cocaine and a hand-gun. Police say the dealersoperated from two condosthat might be seized. > Capital, page A3

$11 millionbuys B.C. aBollywoodOscar show

From top: DancerTahira Karmali, actorChitrangada Singh andPremier Christy Clark.