DCE building burns down

BY KATIE DAWSON
The Sachem

(November 08, 2007)

Brian Skye, a member of security at Douglas Creek Estates, last saw the “embassy” building at the front of the site on Argyle St. at 11:30 p.m. on Monday night.

At 11:45 p.m. he received a phone call telling him that the building was on fire.

Fire crews arrived to help extinguish the blaze that Skye says was deliberately set.

“It really is a shame,” he says. “This is a huge step back for negotiations.”

The building was totally destroyed including a priceless piece of artwork donated to Kanonhstaton by Six Nations artist Arnold Jacobs that reminded Canada of the many Six Nations men and women who defended Canada during the wars.

“It’s kind of ironic with Veterans’ Day just around the corner that a sign honouring veterans should be destroyed,” says spokeswoman Hazel Hill.

Skye explained Tuesday morning at the site of the blaze, where only a burnt pile of wood remains, that the activists at Douglas Creek Estates were about to begin work on a fish habitat, work with Ducks Unlimited, as well as planting trees to start to restore what was taken down for the subdivision development that was stopped in February of 2006.

Skye says steps were being taken to clean up the site, but the burning of the embassy has stopped all of that.

It was between 11:30 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. that the natives who stay at the site were beginning to settle in for the night. A bright light could be seen from the house on the site, and that bright light was the fire at the embassy at the front gates.

“That building is where we greet people,” says Skye. “We call it the embassy.”

A volunteer rebuilding is set for Saturday and Sunday of this weekend. Skye says anyone wishing to help rebuild the embassy, or make donations is welcome to come to the site Saturday.

“We need lumber, building materials, man power, food for the workers, even cash donations will be accepted to rebuild the embassy.”

Skye says he is hoping to hear back from the fire investigators soon, and wants the person(s) who set the fire to be charged.

As of press deadline it was not known if the fire will be investigated by the fire marshall.