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Border gone but not forgotten Whistler's restaurant scene is experiencing the typical shoulder season slowdown, but one of Whistler's most recognisable eateries is off the scene — for now.

Border gone but not forgotten Whistler's restaurant scene is experiencing the typical shoulder season slowdown, but one of Whistler's most recognisable eateries is off the scene — for now. The Border Cantina, located in the Shoestring Lodge, has closed down and, according to co-owner Bruce Bell, the Border no longer has a home. While talk had been circulating in the Whistler Valley rumour mill about the Border going broke, Bell stresses that was not the case. "The Border closed because our lease expired, nothing more nothing less," says Bell. "I don't want anyone thinking we went broke." The Border Cantina was started by well-known locals Herschel Miedzygorski and Cal Schacter, who ran the cantina until selling to Bell and two partners in 1993. Bell says their lease ran out April 1, but it was extended to Oct. 1. When they could not come to terms with the landlord a separation was necessary. According to Bell, the name was not bought out when the lease expired, so the Border could find a new home — but not this winter. "It's the end of an era," he says. For Shoestring Lodge owner Ben Horne and Greg Garland, former manager of the Border and new manager of the restaurant formerly known as the Border Cantina, it is the beginning of an era. "We are definitely going to keep with the south western style," Garland says as he surveys the recently gutted restaurant. "We've got a blank canvas here, now we just have to start creating." The 700-square-metre restaurant has a licensed capacity of 100 patrons. Garland says they are going to have a contest to name the restaurant, which he hopes to have renovated and up and running by Nov. 15. "This is a busy time of year construction wise because everybody is trying to finish up, but we are ready to get to work," he says.