By Cecilia Nasmith
News of the demolition of 205 Forth Street has brought out citizen scientists and heritage enthusiasts to celebrate a prominent figure associated with that neighbourhood, Cobourg Councillor Nicole Beatty said at Monday's council meeting.
“I heard that near the corner of Forth, Margaret and King Street was the childhood home of Father Francis Duffy,” Beatty announced, referring to the renowned Cobourg-born army chaplain of the Great War who was honoured with a statue in New York's Times Square for his service to the men in the trenches.
“What I found outstanding is that he is the most decorated cleric in any war,” Mayor John Henderson commented.
The house suffered devastating damage in a fire a few months back and a Notice of Demolition has been issued.
Whereas a listed property would ordinarily require a Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment before that could happen, the motion before council waived that requirement and asked that the property be removed from the Town of Cobourg Heritage Register, “given the extenuating circumstances whereby the building has been substantially altered over time and significantly damaged by fire.”
