The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 31

MONDAY, JULY 5, 2004 THE OTTAWA CITIZEN "SECTION Editor: Rob Warner, 726-5981 cttygthecttizen.canwest.com 1 about 18 stores, only a beer store aft ft In the McArthur Plaza complex of rntftt WnHithWfliriSifirirMii TiiiiwftmarsaitfMBdW 1 i rTiry.tf.wanniTft uflgBasfeUaAt. mna rJ s. jjj CHRIS MIKULA, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN and a martial arts studio were unaffected. A Loeb grocery store and a CIBC branch survived, but suffered smoke and water damage. fatroy Ywhr Fire marshal to investigate suspected arson in blaze a -if Mp ir lar store; Dumouchel Meat and Deli; Lucky House Take-Out; Komputer Korner; Vicky's Donuts; Magic Scissors; Paradise 4 Kids; Quick Chef Restaurant and Nettoyeur-A-Sec Extra Dry Cleaners.

There was also a licensing office, a pizza place, a 44- BY SHANNON PROUDFOOT AND ZEV SINGER More than a dozen businesses were destroyed yesterday as fire ripped through a Vanier strip mall in a case now being investigated as an arson by the Ontario fire marshal. The fire at the McArthur Plaza on McArthur Avenue between Lafontaine and Eastwood started about 245 near the middle of the building. It quickly spread from one business to the next through the roo In the complex of about 18 stores, only a beer store and a martial arts studio were unaffected. A Loeb grocery store and a CIBC branch survived, but suffered smoke and water damage. A 911 call at 246 a.m.

brought 19 vehicles and about 80 firefighters to the scene, but it wasn't until 7 am. that the blaze was considered under control. It took most of the day before it was out Dwayne Negreiff, 32, said he was riding his bike home through the plaza after a shift washing calling 9u'," he said. Mr. Tourigny was unable to determine the gender or age of the individuals, or whether they had caused the shattering glass themselves or had been scared off by it An official with the fire department said last night that the fire is now thought to have started in a pawn shop that had recently moved into the plaza.

Among the businesses destroyed by the fire was Pure Class Tattoos, owned by Mike Osborn, who didn't have insurance. Mr. Osborn said yesterday that he'd met with an insurance agent last week and had an appointment to sign the papers today. "I think Fm screwed good," he said. At the still-flaming scene yesterday afternoon, the 32-year-old businessman, who was married in March, said he couldn't bear to stay around for very long to watch as bulldozer crews knocked down the walls to help put out the fire.

Mr. Osborn said his tattoo par- The Are at the McArthur Plaza started around 2:45 a.m. yesterday morning, starting near the middle of the building and quickly spreading from one business to the next through the roof. -1 jt'- i if i ft i 1 mmal. ED NASH, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN coin laundry and an empty space most recently used as the campaign office of Kevin Friday, the unsuccessful Ottawa-Vanier Conservative candidate in last week's federal election.

See FIRE on PAGE D2 which runs 22 hospitals across North America, including one in Montreal, began searching for a new Canadian location after disagreement with the Quebec government over the timing and site of a new hospital to be built in Montreal The new resolution is expected to pass tomorrow, but no final decision will be made until the next Shriners Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2005. The decision breathes life back into Ottawa's bid after the Shriners board recommended London as the new site in ApriL The Ottawa delegation to Denver, which included Councillor Peter Hume, in fact supports the Montreal bid, but sees Ottawa as a better alternative site than London. See SHRINERS on PAGE D2 pulling a waterskier crashed into a paddleboat carrying the girl, her five-year-old brother, mother and grandmother. Darkness forced the search, which was being car ried out by three divers brought in from Montreal, to wrap up for the night about 9 pan. See GIRL on PAGE D6 U.S.

ambassador pays tribute to police forces Shriners' decision puts Ottawa back in running dishes at a nearby restaurant when he heard the sound of breaking glass coming from somewhere around the middle of the plaza. He said he stopped at one of the plaza's pay phones and called 91L "I called because I didn't want to be blamed for something I didn't do," he said. Mr. Negreiff said that although the noise of breaking glass came from behind him, he doesn't recall passing anybody as he rode through. He added, however, that he'd been drinking after work.

Francois Tourigny, whose bedroom window faces the plaza, although the view is obscured by trees, said a small group of people often loiter there at night He said he was awake and heard people talking outside the mall right before the fire broke out "Then I heard, Xefs get out of and I heard a window breaking or glass breaking. Then when I looked outside, I saw the flames and I said, "That's it, I'm ged for lessons. "I'd never ridden a horse and my wife didn't believe I could do it," he said. Saturday, he rode with his instructor up the driveway of his Rockcliffe estate. "My wife was speechless," he said "The special reception before the main event was good of the ambassador," said Ottawa Chief Vince Bevan.

"We've worked closely together, and the fact that he has recognized the people on the ground is wonderful." Guests, who had to present their invitations to security guards before being allowed on the grounds, were dressed in an array of outfits, including long and short dresses, hats and high heels, red, white and blue ties and open collars. They sipped bottled water, U.S. beer and California wines, and lined up at tents for blackened marlin and mushroom ravioli, champagne, poached shrimp and chocolate brownies. Seen mingling near the food lines were Liberal cat inet ministers Irwin Cotler and Mauril Belanger; Ontario's minister of Culture and Francophone Affairs, Madeleine Meilleur; and the National Arts Centre Orchestra's music director Pinchas Zukerman and his wife, Amanda Forsyth The official ceremonies included lots of pomp and heraldry, with OPP Const Lyndon Slewidge, best known for his appearances at Ottawa Senators games, thrilling the crowd with a rousing version of both national The Marine Guard presented colours and the Central Band of the Canadian Forces performed during the party. BY JENNIFER CHEN After fears the city's chances had evaporated, Shriners at their annual meeting in Denver, Colorado, are expected to put Ottawa back in the running as the site of a new $ioo-mil-lion children's orthopedic hospital to be built by the organization.

The Shriners International board of directors has reversed a decision to vote on a resolution to begin negotiations with the Ontario government to build their hospital in London. Instead, the board will put forward a resolution that puts Ottawa and Montreal back on the short-list following retooled presentations by delegations from the two cities. Ottawa made its initial pitch for the hospital last year, when a Shriners selection committee visited the city. The Shriners organization, lour had only been up and running for about a month. "We were doing good.

It was taking off, on fire," he said, too distracted to notice his choice of words. Among the other businesses in the plaza were; Big Moe's dol NICKI CORRIGALL, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN And he could row a boat. Lord, could he row a boat Mr. Curry, a lean-looking item in a straw hat, a belt and suspenders, would leave his home in the pre-dawn dark, row 9.6 kilometres to the New-boro locks, roust the lockmas-ter, then row 9.6 more kilometres to Chaffey's Locks. His day had just begun.

He would guide clients on Lake Opinicon rowing all morning ready a full shore-lunch, amuse them with stories and stay alert to their quirks and needs. At day's end, he rowed the 19 kilometres home. Thus did he make three or four bucks. And tomorrow was another day. See EGAN on RAGE D2 'in Ed Bebee is the author of a book on fishing guides in the Rideau Lakes system, In which stories of 20 to 30 oldtlmers are gathered.

WHEN FISHING GUIDES ROWED THE RIDEAU Embassy hosts Fourth of July bash with special guests BYMARGO ROSTON The grounds of the U.S. Embassy residence teemed with police officers yesterday as nearly 2,300 diplomats, government officials, U.S. citizens and friends assembled to celebrate the 228th anniversary of the independence of the United States. Happily, the 250 representatives of Canadian and U.S. police forces, including the Ottawa Police Service, the RCMP, the OPP, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, were there to party.

The special tribute to Canadian and U.S. law enforcement was held under the theme "Policing in Partnership." "We in the United States know that we cannot protect our homeland without the help of our friends, neighbours and partners in Canada," said U.S. Ambassador Paul Cellucci in his opening remarks. "And we deeply appreciate the extraordinary level of co-operation between the law enforcement agencies of both our countries." The ambassador drew a laugh when he looked over at two RCMP officers astride their hor-. ses and the sea of red serge in the garden and noted that as soon as he was asked to lead the parade at the Calgary Stampede, he called RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, who arran Divers search waters for girl, 4, after motorboat, paddleboat crash KELLY EGAN The best fish stories are all lies and wonder.

Not these, we trust The man done wrote them down and put them in a book. There is the tale legend some prefer of "Iron" Ed Curry, a fishing guide in the mid-section of the Rideau Lakes in the 1920s. A barber in Westport, he could build boats and violins, fiddling at each; he could also swing a mean axe. BY ISABEL TEOTONIO A search will resume this morning for a four-year-old girl who went missing yesterday after a boating accident on Lac Vert, near Montpellier, about no kilometres northeast of Ottawa. The accident happened about 3 p.m., when a motorboat.