The remnants of a former heritage home in Wallaceburg, which was destroyed by fire back in February, was demolished on Friday, May 13, 2022.
The Sydenham Current captured the following photos of the 315 Elgin Street property on Friday:
Chatham-Kent Council approved a staff recommendation to remove the property from the Municipal Heritage Register at their virtual meeting on Monday, April 25, 2022.
This approval cleared the way to allow for the demolition of the building to proceed, a staff report indicated.
The fire on February 17, 2022 claimed three lives.
Two people rescued from the home were confirmed as deceased, while a third body was later recovered from the basement of the structure, Chatham-Kent Fire & Emergency Services officials said on February 21, 2022.
Details about the cause of the blaze have yet to be released by local officials.
The home had a long history in the community of Wallaceburg.
“The property contained a building known as Glouaster Place, which was built in 1926 by Arthur St. Clair Gordon,” a staff report indicated.
“Gordon was a Wallaceburg Mayor, an Ontario M.P.P, and a notable entrepreneur. He started numerous companies that included Schultz Die Casting, St. Clair Tool & Die, Presto Pressure Cooker Company and the Wallaceburg Pressed Glass Company. The dwelling was visited by numerous celebrities that included Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent, Olympic Gold Medalist Barbara Anne Scott, and Ontario Premier Mitchell Hepburn.”
Municipal officials added: “Furthermore, after the Gordon family sold the residence in 1954 it was purchased by James Burgess, a local war hero, and M.P. More recently, the house was used as a multi-unit dwelling.”
In January 2010, Council added the property to the Municipal Heritage Register as the property was believed to be of cultural value or interest to Chatham-Kent, a staff report says.
