By MAUREEN PICHÉ

COLTON – After weeks of around-the-clock repair and no help from insurance or the government, a Colton businessman and his wife have finally reopened his once-flood-ravaged bar/restaurant.

Robert and Tammy Bradish were forced to close their tavern, The Finish Line, in early May after it was condemned by the Colton code enforcement officer because of structural damage due to the heavy April flooding of the Raquette River.

But thanks to lots of volunteer help, and quite a bit of money from their own pockets, the couple completely renovated the tavern and opened for business about three weeks ago.

Between lost wages and cost out-of-pocket to repair the building, Robert Bradish estimates they’ve been set back at least $60,000.

“There was a lot more damage than I anticipated once I started tearing things apart,” he said. “All the moldy and rotten material had to be replaced.”

For about six weeks, Bradish worked seven days a week, 16 hours a day, with Tammy joining him after her day job, but also with some good friends, to shore up the flooring, fix the foundation, and redo the bar.

Volunteers and neighbors Steve and Laurie Thornton helped out a lot, he said, and other community members chipped in here and there—donating some lumber or picking up a paintbrush.

“If not for them, I wouldn’t have ever got it done in the timeframe I did get it done,” he said.

And the timeframe was critical, he explained, because bills were coming in and a closed bar meant no income to cover them.

“We really didn’t have a choice. We had to repair, and as fast as possible,” Bradish said.

In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency decided to deny financial assistance to individuals in St. Lawrence County whose homes and businesses were damaged in the flood.

And his flood insurance company denied a payout as well.

Bradish said the insurance company wouldn’t pay for repairs because the flooding was caused by a “controlled waterway.” The tavern sits partially on stilts on a small island in the middle of the Raquette River, controlled by Brookfield Renewable Power Inc., engineers who chose when to release dammed water, and how much, during the spring flooding.

Bradish says he’ll never get back the lost wages and rebuilding expenses. “How can we get that back? We’re starting up from scratch,” he said.

Nevertheless, he reopened, and business has been good.

“I can pay my bills now,” he said. “It was a nightmare, no doubt about it. But it has been completely done all new, and people really like it.”

Bradish moved his establishment from South Colton to its current location in what was once the Colton Hotel about three years ago. It’s one of the few businesses in the community.

“There are a lot of people who really missed the place,” he said. “The customer loyalty is still there. It’s just a shame we couldn’t get any assistance.”

Bradish said he’s aware the flooding could happen again next spring if the same conditions that caused it this year persist. He said he has discussed that possibility with Brookfield, and will continue the dialogue.

“In the meantime, I’ve got to deal with it and take it one day at a time,” he said.