Sandra Gould (left) owns "the Balloonery" next door to the Av. She and Blair Bradbury joined the staff on Sunday afternoon to say good-bye.

He's the big Icelander in charge of PR. "Oraf" worked on promoting the hotel for the last three years.

Lounge manager Ed Nimchuk has been at the hotel since it opened 38 years ago. He and ten-year employee Linda Bradbury have seen it all.

Ed Nimchuk - 38 years at the Av

Sherry Burley (left), Kevin Cady (centre) and Cyndi Narsaiya agreed that the best part about working at the Av was the staff.

Tommy Evangelou (left) is a 25-year hotel staff member. "I met a lot of good people," he said as he and Alan Butler (right) raised a glass to the occasion.

"We're more like a family," said staff member Gladys Ingham. After 14 years, she's going to miss everyone. "We've had a lot of fun."

Heather Dorsey gave Mark Dobinson a playful strangle in the lobby. Who says the front desk staff didn't know how to have fun as well.

Celtic singer Fiona Blackburn (left) and movie man Ogden Gavanski bid their farewells to the hotel on Saturday night as Sentinel High School held their 25-year reunion in the lounge.

The Av was a big part of their lives. Sentinel boys (from left) Craig Freeman, Colin McIver, Harry Nilsson, Brent Wetmore and Chris Davies sent their best.

She doesn't look like it, but smiley Susan Schmidt has worked at the Av for 15 years.

They're the big guys at the controls. Jonathan James (left) and general manager Scott Burley made it all happen. Congratulations guys.