Kingston man charged in connection with 2 suspicious fires in Napanee area

Provincial police have arrested a Kingston man in connection with a pair of suspicious fires that destroyed a community centre and a home's garage in the Napanee area.

According to an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) news release, Jay Nelson Bradley, 49, is charged with:

• Two counts of arson — disregard for human life.
• Criminal harassment — threatening conduct.
• Possession of incendiary material.

Investigators say the charges follow two fires on Oct. 23, which burned down the Memorial Community Centre in Napanee and a garage in nearby Stone Mills, both of which had links to the Lennox Agricultural Society.

The organization owned the community centre and the garage that was burned was at the home of its president, Carol McKinley.

Police previously said they were "aware of the links" between the two fires.

Relief at news of arrest

Standing in front of her burned out garage Saturday morning, McKinley said the days following the fire were "scary," leaving her worried about her family and fellow members of the agricultural society.

The president said she received a phone call from the OPP on Friday night telling her Bradley had been charged.

McKinley said she was "relieved" to hear an arrest had been made.

"We all slept a little bit better in the community, I'm sure. All of my board members ... as well as all of our neighbours here," she said. "It was nice to know that he was behind bars."

McKinley identified the accused as Jay Bradley, the owner of Disco Ball Events, a roller rink run out of the community centre.

A Sept. 11 Facebook post from the agricultural society's account outlines its decision not to renew a lease with Bradley, saying he had been presented with a lease agreement in April 2023, but did not sign it.

Following a four-month grace period, the agreement still wasn't signed and the company was issued a 30-day notice to vacate, the post reads.

Bradley is also listed as president of Disco Ball Events on a GoFundMe campaign created on Aug. 25, which says the roller rink was "at risk of closing" coming out of the pandemic.

"Your donations will help provide financial relief for Jay Bradley (Owner) to take care of outstanding operational bills such as heating, venue rental, and staff wages," it reads in part.

The campaign gives the company's location as 170 York St. in Napanee, the same address as the community centre that was burned down.

McKinley also alleged Bradley's harassed her by email since April, describing the messages as "degrading."

"He's called me names," she said. "He's just not been a nice man."

None of the charges against Bradley has been tested in court.

"It's very hard to deal with. On a personal level it's very scary," McKinley said. "I'm just trying to be the president of the Lennox Agricultural Society."

Community centre will be demolished

Police said Bradley was taken into custody on Friday, following searches at three locations in Kingston.

No one was injured in either fire. OPP said they're continuing to investigate.

A third fire, which police also deemed suspicious, happened just two days later and two doors down from the McKinleys.

It burned down their neighbour's garage and caused heavy damage throughout the house, much of which needs to be demolished, according to the homeowners.

Police have not announced any charges in connection with that incident.

McKinley said the agricultural society's board met last week to hug, catch up and ask questions of the fire chief and mayor, who both voiced their support for the organization.

She said unfortunately the community centre is too damaged to be saved and expects it will be demolished within a week.

"We didn't have any discussion about going forward just yet. It really is too soon to make a decision on that," she said. 

"We're just making sure that everybody is safe."