Fisher_Panel The publisher of the Cobourg Daily Star, James Johnston, was a supporter from the beginning. "It's been a big effort to get the locals in on this....It took a long time. But I'll tell you this: Victoria Hall would have been a parking lot long ago if not for Lenah Fisher. Maclean's/December 24, 1979 New Life for a Grand Old Lady by Ken Becker She convinced the council to give her $5,000 towards cleaning up the hall, but soon realized it would take much more than that to return "The Old Lady of King Street" to her former glory. After Lenah made a trip to Ottawa in 1964, Victoria Hall was declared a National Heritage Site, which ensured the renovations would eventually be done. It was a long haul. She died before the restoration was complete, but her final bequest made sure that it was. She once shocked her fellow councilors by showing up at a meeting wearing a grass skirt she had acquired while on a recent trip to Hawaii! Her colourful and fashionable hats were legend! Lenah had her own unique way of shaking things up! Tired of waiting for a road into Cobourg to be fixed, Lenah took the Minister of Transportation to see its deplorable condition. After reminding him it was his responsibility to fix, she threatened to ride down the road wearing only a Lady Godiva hat after notifying the press! The road was fixed in short order! In 1975 Lenah became the first Cobourg resident to receive the Medal of Service Award in the Order of Canada, and the entrance foyer in Victoria Hall is now named in her honour. Lenah died in 1980 and is buried in the family plot at Union Cemetery in Cobourg. NCA 1980.001 NCA 1980.001 Courtesy of the Northumberland County Archives