Molly the Fire Dog honoured at redeveloped firehall in Whitby

Whitby has honoured one of its heroes on one of its biggest recent projects.

The town has commissioned a huge mural of Molly, a Dalmatian who served as Whitby’s first official fire safety dog, to grace the side of the Station No. 3 condo building.

The condo is the largest residential project in Whitby in 30 years. The nearly complete Brookfield Residential six-storey mixed-use complex sits at Brock Street and Colborne Street. It is close to the Whitby Four Corners and the Brock and Dundas Growth Area, which features numerous historic buildings and several schools.

The site is the former home of Whitby’s Fire Station No. 3 which served the community for 40 years between 1964 and 2004. The town replaced the previous Station with a new one down by the Whitby Port about two kilometres away from the first.

Molly, born in 2011 joined Whitby Fire and Emergency Services as an educator. She, alongside Fire Safety Officer Terry Von Zuben, served for 12 years educating crowds and demonstrating safety techniques.

Von Zuben is himself on the Autism spectrum and lives with a learning disability. His experience with these informed his approach to education. Molly was integral to Von Zuben’s lessons and in keeping him grounded during presentations.

“I originally got Molly to assist me with public education. Over time Molly’s role expanded, and I started to use her to demonstrate techniques kids can use in the event of a fire such as stop, drop and roll, crawling low under smoke, and checking a door to see if it is hot,” Van Zuben said.

Van Zuben’s lessons featured 22 he would teach to his classes. Molly could perform every one.

As Molly got older, she was joined by Tessa the fire dog and ultimately passed the torch to her. After many years of service, Molly died on March 28, 2024.

“I am just beginning to process Molly’s loss but I do feel profoundly grateful to have had her in my life. With her help, I have been able to accomplish so many things professionally that I could have never done without her. Molly was able to support me to manage my Autism and learning disorder in more ways than I can ever explain,” Von Zuben wrote in the wake of her death.

To honour Molly’s work and the site’s history as a fire hall, Brookfield commissioned artist Meaghan Claire Kehoe to paint “Molly’s Way.” Kehoe is a renowned Oshawa-based muralist with work on display as public art throughout Ontario.

Of her work Kehoe said, “Molly’s Way is a vibrant celebration of Whitby’s past, present, and future. The cheerful Dalmatian honours the history of the Whitby Fire Hall. The bright colours and playful swimming Dalmatian bring a youthful joy to Downtown Whitby, reflecting the area’s lively spirit.”

“‘Molly’s Way’ beautifully captures the spirit of Downtown Whitby and the legacy of a remarkable dog who was loved by so many. I had the privilege of working with Molly and firefighter Terry Von Zuben for many years and seeing firsthand the impact they had on our community. This mural, on the site of the former Fire Station No. 3, celebrates Molly’s legacy while enhancing our downtown with public art that reflects Whitby’s history,” said Mayor Elizabeth Roy.