(Photo: Quinte News) A very popular Belleville downtown restaurant will be closed for some time after Thursday’s devastating storms. Roofing materials were blown up in three buildings on the north end of Front Street, including one housing the Chilangos restaurant. Owner Marlem Power says she and her staff are busy storing whatever food they can and also making food packages to donate to the Grace Inn shelter for the homeless. Belleville city officials are working with the building owner to determine the best way to make repairs to the roof, and it is unknown how long the restaurant will be closed. Chilangos employs about 40 people and Power hopes they can find ways to continue their business to help them. In addition to Indigenous Canadians and students, Chilangos employs people from Colombia, Guatemala, India and the Philippines. Power says the mayor and other city officials rushed to her aid to help with the aftermath of the storm, as did the Belleville Chamber of Commerce. However, she was disappointed that she had not heard a word from any member or staff of the Downtown District BIA until Saturday, adding that her restaurant had brought a lot of people to the city center for the past 10 years.
