City of London employee charged with arson in connection to fire at River Road Golf Course
CBC
London police have charged a City of London employee in connection to a suspicious fire that broke out at the River Road Golf Course, derailing plans for an Indigenous-led winter shelter.
Michael Peter Belanger, 54, is facing one count of arson causing property damage. He is scheduled to appear in court in February.
In an email sent to city staff Monday, deputy city manager Lynne Livingstone said the individual charged is an employee in fleet services, and has been suspended with pay immediately.
"To protect the integrity of the investigation, we will not be providing any further information about the individual who is charged, or about the incident itself," Livingstone wrote.
She called it "difficult news" and specifically asked city employees not to speak to the media.
Damage to the facility at the River Road location was pegged at $1 million after fire broke out in the course's clubhouse at around 8 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7.
The golf course was slated as a possible site for an Indigenous-led winter shelter, with Atlohsa Family Healing Services organizing the site that could house as many as 30 people.
City council is still scheduled to decide the fate of the proposed shelter on Tuesday, with city officials having met with leaders from Atlohsa last week. There is no word yet on whether an alternate location has been found or if the River Road Golf Club is useable.
"It is an act of violence that has put some of London's most vulnerable people at greater risk by compromising the temporary Indigenous-led winter shelter proposed for this site," Livingstone said in a statement.
"Our focus now will be to continue to work with our community partners to identify an option to ensure we can provide an Indigenous-led temporary shelter site for the winter."
The community and protective services committee endorsed the site for a winter shelter on Nov. 2., as well as a second location for non-Indigenous people at Fanshawe Golf Course.
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