Phase 1 of revitalizing the downtown core.

GOOD RIDANCE the place was a dive anyways

If it was not there then what other dive would the patrons use?
Do you want all those harleys at the chp?

Someone lost their business! People lost their jobs! A man was burnt horrrrribly! And all you people can do is laugh and be negative. Amazing how much lack of simpathy people have in this day and age. If it had been the a 5 star hotel would you then have felt some kind of caring?? Of course!!

I'm done with 250-- these posts are ridiculous. It sounds like someone probably died in this fire, and all anyone can talk about is the aesthetics of the situation.

Prince George has seriously changed since I knew it.

There are several people who are now actually, literally HOMELESS who LIVED there. Injuries, loss of jobs, loss of income...some people just have absolutley no compassion whatsoever.

I agree EdH - where is the common decency? It is disturbing to see what people are really made of. Sad.

Thank you Singlemom and EdH!! I was starting to wonder if I was the only one on here that noticed how un-caring people are!! These are the same people who run down the gang members, yet they are no better when it comes to compassion. Amazing!!

I am disgusted with the posters that seem happy about this. While the place was an eyesore and a dump the people living there arent doing it because they want to, they likely dont have alot of other options. While it is sad to me that people live in places like that it is far sader that these people are now homeless. BC and Canada need to take a stand on homelessness now. No one (or at least very few) decide to be homeless because they dont want to work. They have problems that stem from mental and social issues. Compassion people. It what seperates us (or at least some of us) from the animals.

Well I am sure most of the posters on this have never set foot in the Bus, but are the first ones to be talking down about the place.

I have been a regular at the Bus for 20 years, and yes it was not the prettiest bar in town but the people that went there truly cared about each other, and the people that worked there are a wonderful bunch, and the food that Shannon used to cook there was fanfreakintastic, and I even introduced a few of the people from my office to the food there!! and they were totally impressed.

The Bus is going to be missed as it was a great gathering place and it had heart, and soul and truly cared about the people that frequented it.

That is a horrible accusation Tank...
I hope they call you on it!!!!!

I see the editor caught it...Tank!
thankfully

Yes a piece of PG history is gone...Drunk my first beer in that place. Hope nobody died....

Shellshadow lil diff from the Gangsters in this city would u not think...Think about it k...

GET A JOB!!!

I agree with Tank its prob the truth which is sad.

I truly feel bad for everyone who lived and worked there. It was a historical place.

The Bus was one of the only original hotels that was still around... It may not have been the best looking place, but it was a great place to go for a good lunch, or a beer after work. The first time I ever stepped foot in there, I was a little leery, but that was quickly quashed by a definite welcoming feeling.

It will be missed by a lot of people.

Another anonymous internet tough guy.

Hey Tank, let me clue you in since you seem to be struggling with some concepts.

There is no such thing as 'free speech'. If I come into your living room and start spouting crazy talk about you and your family you would kick me out of your house, as you should.

Same thing here. If you want 'free speech', start your own internet site and spout off over there.

I agree with CooLeo, I was there numerous times drinking til the wee hours of the night and there was always friendly people there to chat with and have a good old time, Not gonna lie there was a few occassions when i had to go out back and hand out free stretcher rides to a few people but that will happen no matter where you go when you mix large groups of people with alcohol.

If you are older then 19 Anastasia you might be able to relate what Tank was saying, 8 years ago or so the downtown bar scene was very different then it is now, The bus was mostly bikers, the cadilac was cowboys, the generator was hippies/rock lovers and the Munk and Iron Horse was the university crowd, Now you go out downtown you see all types of these people at all the various bars. SO im sure Tank was remembering the late 90's- early 2000's

yes I remember those times, when every bar was classified as something or another and ya I guess that is what it was classified back in the day as but there was always blue & white collar workers there!! as was up until midnight closing last night!!

bet ya the girls that worked last night and announced last call they didn't realize it was literally the last call for the Bus

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The rules on opinion 250 are simple, Keep it cean, keep it legal and no bullying of other posters.

I will pull those comments which I consider on, or over the line. There is an old saying in the news business "If in doubt, leave it out."

We want you to be able to air your opinion no matter what, however, please understand if a comment is pulled it is because of one of the above rules, OR, the comment is a response to a pulled comment which would leave the response making no sense at all. There may be some cases where a response comment has been pulled because it repeats the libel.

If I cannot say 100% that I think the comment is safe, it will be pulled. That will save you and Opinion250 a lot of grief.
When comments are pulled, we write a note to the author advising them of why the comment was pulled, and ofter we pass along advice on how the same message can be delivered using different phrases.

Thank You Mr. PG for trying to put it into perspective. I would ask that while we are all in thise "home" together, we watch our language, quit the finger pointing and show some respect.

Interesting discussion is always welcome.

Elaine Macdonald

Kudos Elaine

The best part of the Bus was the peelers and wet tee-shirt contests. Why do people think the Bus was a homeless shelter?

It wasn't a homeless shelter - people LIVED there and paid rent. People who worked, people who were trying to get back on their feet. They are now homeless.

im sure they will move up the street to the next 100 dollar a week motel i wouldnt worry about it if i were you

Oh yes Tank, just another day for these people. Did it ever occur to you that some of these people have lost everything they own? Perhaps they didn't own much, perhaps they did. Some have lost all of their ID, money, etc. Someone may have even died. I do worry about it. I worry about my fellow man. Just because they happen to rent a hotel by the month does not make them any less of a human being who has just lost everything. I'm betting that if a condo burned up, leaving a few people homeless, people would be expressing much more concern and compassion.
While the establishment itself may not have been all that great in the opinions of some, there are people - human beings to consider here.
Call me a bleeding heart- I would much rather be considered a bleeding heart than be someone who doesn't care about anything but the aesthetics of downtown PG, regardless of who it affects.

singlemom, don't get too concerned about Tanks 'pearls of wisdom'. He just posts to get a reaction from people. Ignore him, and hoepfully he'll go away.

Ahhh the REAL 'tank abbott' would have been right at home in The Bus!

Out of curiosity would people who are staying in a hotel be covered under the hotel insurance for belongings? I would think yes.

I am sick and tired of being judged for ridding a Harley,if u have never been to The Bus,than u would never understand, The Bus was a modern day "Cheers" it was a place where the food was good,the beer was cold,the staff was friendly and everybody knew ur name! The bus to all,will be sadly missed,I had many good times,and a few sad times mourning the loss of a loved one. The staff and thier patrons were like family it didn't matter if u rode or not as long as respect was used u were treated that way,maybe fifty years ago it was ran by bikers,but the owner happens to be a man with a family (just like any other business owner) who has suffered a great loss not just material but the loss of a great friend and not to mention the sentimental value.The Bus was probably an eyesore to many of you,but to many of us it meant something entirely different,goes to show how quick it is to judge when u haven't walk a day in others shoes...
Next time u see that "biker" think of him as a doctor,lawyer,dentist,contractor,business owner,insulator etc, think of him or her as a hard working individual...cuz how else do u think we paid for the $20,000 Harley,we are not all drug dealers,gang members and what ever else people think we are, we are decent people with families, who work hard to "ride"!!!

Why does everyone care about what this clown "Tank" has to say? This goof is entitled to his or her own opinion and that's that. Obviously just trying to razz everyone with dumb comments. Who cares, lets focus on what happened. A landmark burned to the ground, and people potentially died and some got seriously hurt. A tragedy indeed.

Tank i would be a shamed to call you a friend. If i was your friend kick you the nuts . Guys like you give,us guys bad name . Singlemom i am sorry for this guy.

Tank i would be a shamed to call you a friend. If i was your friend kick you the nuts . Guys like you give,us guys bad name . Singlemom i am sorry for this guy.

I love how everyone rips on the only guy in here that actually probably knows what he is talking about. I dont see anything wrong with 1 thing Tank Abbott has posted yet you guys wanna jump down a guys throat for pointing out the obvious of downtown PG. Bottom line was Columbus Hotel was a dive at the best of times. All these "Gangsters" you guys rip on in every other story are always there/ SO maybe you guys should leave your computer once in awhile and maybe step into the thing called the real world and stop living your lifes thru a website and thinking everything you see posted by the media is true. Get the rose colored glasses off people. Tank Abbott speaks nothing but the truth.

OMG!! My buddies meth lab blew up last night, i am pretty sure this was where he was staying. I hope you are ok buddy, if you need a place to lay low for a bit call me.

OMG!! My buddies meth lab blew up last night, i am pretty sure this was where he was staying. I hope you are ok buddy, if you need a place to lay low for a bit call me.

Willy_Check = Tanks mom.

U know what Willy,I have stepped into the "real world" and that place was called The Bus and it was so much different than all the other bars cuz we had good food,good times and made great friends. I have been going there for probably 12yrs now and I have never felt safer. Whenever I would go out to any other bar,I am constantly watching my back,and making sure nothing was slipped in my drink and trying to get out of the way when the fights break out (and I have seen the fights) and I can honestly say I have seen two fights in The Bus in the last 12yrs.As far as the "Gangsters"(according to you) that hang out there and are involved in drug activity,take a look around you,it's everywhere you go,the Bus is not the cause of the gangs and drugs,just cuz we ride a Harley,wear leather and frequent "The Bus" doesn't mean we are "Gangsters",We are hard working people who enjoy good food,cold beers and great company!! As Far as U and Tank go,like I said "Bus Virgins" and it is unfortunate that u have never taken the time to get to know any staff from the Bus,cuz now u will never know what it is like to actually have true friends,cold beer and lot's of great laughs
So maybe next time u both might want to think before u open ur mouths about something u know NOTHING about!!! Ride to Live,Live to Ride!!!

I am 50 years old and never once sat or rode on a Harley. :} It would be nice to have the experience though. Hope some day I will meet someone who has one.

Leather&Lace
Remember the ole saying..if you gotta explain it to someone don't waste your time....it can only be felt!
He's just trying to get a rise outta ...

Ditto what Leather & Lace said!!

I have been going to the Bus for 20 years and that is exactly how it was, it was a Cheers kind of a place, and it is going to be greatly missed!!

and I am not a rider, just a blue collar worker who enjoyed going into an establishment that I didn't have to worry about what was going to happen to me in there!! it was like my own personal living room kind of atmosphere!! (without the mess to clean up after everyone went home!!)!!! LOL

Hey leather and lace if you really knew who i was im sure you wouldnt be calling me a "bus virgin" i go there on a regular basis myself and im sure if you seen me you would recgonize me if you are there as much as you claim. Joes place has better shows anyways so really no loss. And if you are scared at the other bars in town then im sorry that you are a nobody in this town, I walk into every bar in town and get respected and no one would think about putting anything in any girls drink that i was with. And as far as you saying i think your "gangsters" cause you drive a harley, You should learn how to read i never once said that alot of my friends drive harleys and there the furthest things from gangsters you will ever meet in your life, Get your facts straight before you start talking crap to me, Im a legend in PG. I can prob run for mayor and win it.

Lord help us if we end up with a self proclaimed legend who considers others as "nobody's" as mayor.

What interesting 'conversations' It brings to mind a group of children arguing in the playground. So much fun and so safe, thanks to anonymity. I have not had a beer at the Columbus for many years, but my perception of it was that it was a biker bar, and that's okay, as long as you ride the accepted brand of motorcycle. If I remember correctly, back in the eighties when I might have ridden a rice burner to a bar for a cool refreshing brew, non HD riders were not welcomed to the Columbus by the patrons. I am sure that rice-rocket-rider cash was okay by the management, but
there was a certain element that preferred you to park your japscrap cycle elsewhere.
Willy_ are you still giving free stretcher rides?
metalman.

I am bus virgin and been there few times had some good laughs and great times. Just people trying to make a living like rest of us and it a honor to call them my friends. PS some of the women are very sexy too dam never get to see them again. maybe lace can set me up your dam hottie too .

PS willy and tank must be lovers too.

metalman, I have never once drove a harley in my life nor any other sort of bike if you think i was one of the "bikers" there beating people up with jap bikes i wasn't. But what you said was very true about the Columbus. The place used to be like that in the 80's- early 90's but things have changed alot downtown.

Seriously,who r u to call me a nobody,I am respected in this town,and not cuz of what I ride or what bar I go to,it is because of who I am as a person (that is what The Bus was all about)I never said that I was scared,I said that I had to watch my self and even my friends more so than I would at The Bus. Fair enough,I apppologise for calling you a Bus Virgin.Instead of accussing,I am just going to come straight out and ask u,so r u saying that if ur a nobody than u deserve to not feel safe....not quite sure what u meant by that.As far as the gangsters comment why would u say that,if u weren't insinuating that people who hang out there are all gansters,cuz if u are a regular there than u would realise that it is a Biker bar and bikers ride Harleys,not pedal bikes,so y wouldn't I take offence to that,I do believe ur comment was "gansters are always there", Look around you,there is good and bad at any bar)To Me,ur comment meant to make The Bus and the people look bad,so my comment was to defend The Bus. U say that ur a regular at The Bus,but yet never once rode a Harley than u probably would never understand y I get so defensive....try taking a walk in someone else's shoes instead of standing still in ur own...

Try not to let the comments get to you Leather&Lace. I find Willy's statements to be a little contradictory and my impression is that it is just for the sake of arguing.

"I agree with CooLeo, I was there numerous times drinking til the wee hours of the night and there was always friendly people there to chat with and have a good old time,"

"All these "Gangsters" you guys rip on in every other story are always there"

"i go there on a regular basis myself and im sure if you seen me you would recgonize me if you are there as much as you claim."

If Willy is there on a regular basis, then why bash other regulars? Makes no sense. Best to just ignore it.

Well said single mom!