Arson in Cannington, Ontario

My home town, Cannington, Ontario, awoke this past Sunday morning to some tragic news. Two churches were on fire, along with a few automobiles.

Cannington is a small town, with a population hovering around 1,000. I've joked that there are only 999 since I left in 1985. Everyone knows everyone. As I told a close friend recently, I estimate that I have a memory of some sort attached to at least two-thirds of the homes in town.

There are, or were, four churches in Cannington, all Christian: United, Baptist, Anglican and Presbyterian.

The Presbyterian church was destroyed. The United church, my childhood church, suffered significant damage in the lower level.

Of course, I'm using the term "church" rather loosely to signify "church building." "Church" more accurately signifies the people, the members. Happily, in that sense, the "churches", the people, were not harmed.

Of course, arson is suspected. A local 17 year old male has been charged.

You can learn more about this tragedy within the news articles below. I've included the full text of one article and links to others. (My apologies as these links will no doubt go stale quickly.)

- 680 News
- A-Channel News (video)
- CTV News
- Toronto Sun
- Blog entry by a local citizen


Youth charged in rash of Cannington fires
(From newsdurhamregion.com.)
Tue Oct 09, 2007

By: By Jeff Hayward

CANNINGTON -- A 17-year-old Cannington boy is facing 15 charges in connection with $4 million in arson damages, including a fire that destroyed a historic church early Sunday morning.

Durham Regional Police responded to multiple calls in the Laidlaw Street area in Cannington on Sunday, Oct. 7, starting at approximately 4 a.m. Officers arrived to find four vehicles on fire, and shortly after were alerted about a fire at Trinity United Church. Within the hour, another vehicle was set on fire along with the Knox Presbyterian Church, according to police.

Shortly after, officers assisted by the canine unit tracked a suspect to a nearby home and arrested the youth, according to police. The 17-year-old, who cannot be named under the Youth Justice Act, is charged with two counts of break, enter and commit-arson, seven counts of arson, five counts of mischief and a charge of breach of recognizance.

The damage to the Presbyterian church, a 144-year-old building, required the structure to be taken down. Demolition crews were on scene Tuesday morning to start the process, which Brock firefighters said could take days.

Lay Pastor Judy Hein was there to witness the remainder of her church being destroyed.

"This is people's lives and memories," she said of the church. She said she will have to meet with the church congregation to determine where services will be held in the near future, noting other churches in the area have been supportive. "It's going to take weeks to sort out."

Ms. Hein smiled with the fact furniture inside, including pews over 100 years old, were salvaged relatively undamaged.

Also watching the church come down was Stewart Arksey, who said he has lived in Cannington all his life. "I've never seen anything like this," he said of the fire.

Meanwhile, the Presbyterian community wasn't without a meeting place on the long Thanksgiving weekend. Cannington residents Doreen and Grant Oliver, also witnessing the demolition, invited 23 members of the church into their home.

Ms. Hein, who became emotional for a short time as she watched crews prepare to bring down the old building, explained the church had recently been renovated inside. She said she received a call Sunday at about 4 a.m. from the Office of the Fire Marshal, and firefighters returned to the site again in the afternoon to battle "hot spots" in the building.

Firefighters on scene did not say if the Trinity United Church, two blocks from Knox Presbyterian, will face a similar fate. But a drive-by of the building revealed minimal visible exterior damage. The Sunday service of the United Church was moved to the Cannington Lions' Hall, said Ms. Hein.

Police are pegging the collective damage from the blazes at $4 million. No injuries were reported.

A police command post has been set up on the site of the Knox Presbyterian Church at the corner of Cameron Street and Peace Street in Cannington. Anyone with information about the fire can visit that location or contact Det. Sgt. Herb Curwain at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 2674. Anonymous tips can be made to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) and tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.