My first husband (and current husband) was 29 years old when his television career switched from CKVR in Barrie to Global Television in Toronto. He was 46 when he moved closer to the lake and took up an office right downtown, still in television. It was his job that brought us here initially. But the…
Harris Steele loved to win. He loved to sail and win. He’d take off his shirt during a race to feel the wind & brace for the race… the quickest way to win! In fact, Harris Steele did everything the quickest way possible! He ran everywhere, energy thrumming itself through his body and out through…
This community has experienced incredible growth in the past decade. In it all, though, we’ve been able to hold on to that small-town essence of a caring community. Barrie residents reach into their lives and give to others. The Five Points Fire is one example of a community that comes together. This community came together…
“What do you want for Christmas, Mom?” Hmmmm. Well, I’d love a pin cushion, I really would. And, perhaps if someone was really ambitious they could organize my binder full of recipes. That’s about it. But that’s not the case for hundreds and hundreds of people in the Barrie area. For as many reasons as…
One year ago the stores in Barrie’s downtown boasted three grandsons. Three men running three very different stores all started by their grandfathers scores of years ago. Bob Stephenson, at Stephenson’s Jewellers, on Bayfield almost at the Five Points.Robert Stephens, at Robert Stephens Store for Men, on Dunlop W near Mulcaster.And John Garner, Garner’s Sports,…
In 1967, Canada’s Centennial Year, members of St Mary’s Church, St Vincent de Paul Society, decided to go into retail to help families in Barrie. Joe Padfield, Joe Shaughnessy, and Ed Marion were among the founders of a Thrift Shop that opened its doors on Dunlop St. The store was staffed by volunteers. It collected…
There’s no doubt that this city would be poorer without our service clubs. Each member in each club commits to community service upon registration and we’re all the richer for it. Next week is the culmination of weeks and weeks of work by the Rotary Club of Barrie (affectionately called ‘the old club’) as they…
A few years ago, I settled into a basket of letters written by my father to his parents during his time on a Canadian corvette ship in the North Atlantic during World War Two. By chance the first letter I picked up was his missive home after VE Day, May 8, 1945. He wrote the…
Mark Jennings’ day job is in North Toronto where he’s production manager for a personal care products manufacturer. Most of the products are sold to health clubs across North America. It’s a niche market. For 17 years Mark has been working for this company, first as a compounder (that’s the person who follows the chemist’s…
When November rolls around, news coverage zeroes in on war. We pause to give thanks to the thousands of soldiers who died fighting for the freedom we so often take for granted. There’s another story that doesn’t get told very often. It’s the story of the children. The Great Depression in the 1930s caused migrations…