Church seeks new life for historical doors
Holy Trinity appeals for ideas on repurposing 170-year-old wood recently damaged in arson attack
The Church of the Holy Trinity is asking for the public’s help in determining how to recycle its historical doors, which were damaged by fire during the summer.
The 170-year-old doors were one target in a series of small fires in downtown Toronto on Aug. 23. Toronto Fire services rushed to the church near Eaton Centre around 5 a.m. The fire was put out before the building caught fire.
Keith Nunn, the church’s warden, said it was pretty clear that they won’t be able to save the doors. The doors suffered too much damage. “I don’t think it was structurally viable . . .”
Nunn said the idea of repurposing the doors came up when he realized they will end up in a landfill as repairing them is out of the question. He said the wood from the door came from a nearby forest in 1847.
“When I thought about how they might wind up in landfill, I thought that’s just wrong. It’s not just any lumber that timber came from. We need to find a better home for it, even though they can’t be doors anymore,” Nunn said.
On Twitter, the church posted a poll asking what they should do to the doors.
“In 1847, our doors were logged and crafted right here in T.O. They were burnt beyond repair in 2017. How should we recycle them? #BurntDoor,” the post read.
The church gave four choices: have a solstice bonfire, build a bar for parties, create drum frames and some other idea put forth by the public.
The church is also organizing a “Burnt Door” concert on Oct. 20 to raise money for a replacement.
The church said insurance will cover most of the costs of replacing the doors, but the parish still needs to come up with at least $3,000.
Nunn said the concert became possible after several musicians from congregation offered to perform to help the church raise money. He said that most of the pieces that will be performed in the concert are firethemed.
There church will also serve up some burnt-door cocktail, said Nunn. A single ticket costs $25. Five other fires occurred an hour before the church door was targeted, police said. Four garbage fires and a discarded mattress were set on fire.
Jordan Cuthbert, 32, was charged with six counts of arson, five counts of mischief under $5,000 and one count of mischief over $5,000.
A temporary door has been installed to replace the damaged door. Nunn said the church hopes to install the permanent door on November, but it has been pushed back as it is having difficulty finding a carpenter.