“If Benjamin Eby were here, he’d be on my side.”
KITCHENER, ON | April 1, 2026 –THEMUSEUM CEO David Marskell says he’ll appeal a recent council decision giving Heritage status to a hydro-induced cavity, or pothole, near the Kitchener intersection of King and Queen Streets.
The cavity first appeared last month, with a distinct corduroy pattern, prompting local historians to wonder if it’s a remnant of the legendary ‘Eby Pothole of 1847’, a chasm that destroyed a buggy belonging to pioneer farmer/clergyman Benjamin Eby.
When the historians filed an injunction to halt repair until archeologists could investigate the site, Marskell pushed back. “How many tires must die for history? How many hubcaps must fly?”, adding that “If Benjamin Eby were here, he’d be on my side.”
In concession, Members of Council’s Historical Society have offered to donate the pothole to THEMUSEUM as a permanent exhibit. Marskell declined, with thanks, citing that THEMUSEUM keeps no permanent collection, and suggesting that it could be a good fit outside the Region’s Ken Seiling Museum.
Neither the Region nor the City of Kitchener have disclosed the exact location of the pothole, citing the threat of looting and vandalism.
Both councils will meet to consider several options, including the use of the hole for skateboarding, or as a public pool, depending on the weather.