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Downtown Barrie

FROM THE HEAT OF THE FIRE!!

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As many of you may already know, there was a building fire at 68 Mary Street on Friday afternoon.  Thankfully for all, Emergency Response Units were very quick to respond, leaving only one person with minor injuries.

We're sending "Shout Outs" to:

*Certainly all of our Emergency Response personnel for their rapid response, heartfelt compassion. Their great humor throughout the day certainly helped to ease our fears! 

*Rob and Carolle Hilton of A.G. Secure Property Management who arrived immediately and are still working on the logistics.  They have been fantastic for assisting everyone to the very best of their abilities.

*The Office of the Mayor for sending Barrie Transit Buses with incredible drivers to keep us warm and situated. They were able to stay with us until the wee hours of the morning until temporary housing was established.

*Our Mayor Jeff Leman for showing up quickly with water and masks for anyone in need. 

*The Red Cross Emergency Disaster teams who were able to assist with short term housing for the tenants most seriously affected.

*Rexall Pharmacy and Shoppers Drug Mart Wellington for the quick provision of necessary prescription medications. 

*Bayfield Travelodge for being so receptive in the wee morning hours.

*Mary Street LCBO for allowing the female tenants in to use their facilities during the day!

*A very special Thankyou to Georgia, owner of Alliance Billiards, who was able to supply nutritious meals and hot drinks for everyone.  This gave us a place to relax and unwind while following all COVID protocols!  Truly this was one of the most heartwarming times of the day….two busloads of tired and scared tenants were welcomed with open arms, fed and even found laughter!  It was such a relief to be there!

Even after the day ended we’ve had constant communication with many of the Advocate Groups within the City.  Thank you Barrie Families Unite, the Salvation Army, United Way, David Busby Centre, Elizabeth Fry Society and others that were able to answer questions and give direction as needed!

I would also like to thank the neighbourhood on Mary Street!  We received calls from neighbours offering to do what they could, and making sure that everyone was safe.

We always say that “It takes a village to raise a child” – well it takes a strong community to overcome an emergency!  So with hearts full of gratitude – Thank you Barrie!!

5 Things To Do This Winter in Barrie

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5 Things To Do This Winter in Barrie

DEFEAT THE BLAHS WITH THESE FUN ACTIVITIES

 

Let’s face it… winter is not everyone’s cup of mead. When it arrived on Monday, with news of another lockdown, we could hear the collective groans all over town.

BUT! Even in lockdown, you can break free of the icy induced despair. The season in Barrie brings cold weather events and experiences suitable for your entire clan. Hit the links on each event for more!

 

5 Things To Do This Winter in Barrie

 

CHECK OUT WORLD CLASS CINEMA WITH THE BARRIE FILM FESTIVAL 

The Uptown Theatre closed it’s door earlier this year, but the BFF will continue to show it’s programming online

Virtual Cinema will bring thought provoking international films to town every month, that can be rented for viewing at home. And you can get caught up on previous rentals that have been uploaded as well.

 

HIKE AND SKATE THE (NOT DUSTY) TRAILS

Bust out the snowshoes and blades and hit up the resplendent paths and rinks around town. Lackie’s Bush, Ardagh Bluffs and Sunnidale park are beautiful in town spots for a winter walk.

And if you are willing to take a car trip, there are plenty of gorgeous skating trails within driving distance of Barrie. 

There’s also city hall and the community centres if carving fresh ice is more your jam. Most rinks and outdoor parks remain open, but you should always check in advance for any restrictions. 

 

 

PODCAST IT UP

If hanging by the fire is on your list for this winter, might we recommend curling up with a good podcast? Of course we’ve got a variety of audio entertainment, but there are a plethora of equally cool local pods.

True crime junkies should have a listen to Whereabouts Unknown, hosted by local private investigator Ellen White. The ongoing series shines a spotlight on the stories of the missing and murdered in Canada, particularly cases from around the region.

Sequel Talk with local filmmaker Mitch Graszat is a pop culture-savvy chat where guests dream up imaginary sequels and talk about em! Recent episodes include bad ideas for classic movies like Heathers and the Princess Bride. And it’s not limited to just movies. Mitch and company also speculate on what could have been with classic songs and TV shows.

 

TAKE THE 4X4 CHALLENGE

Did you miss Mayor Jeff’s red zone challenge? The Challenge is simple!

The latest restrictions will last 4 weeks (or more). So, for the next four weeks, the challenge is to do these 4 things each week (4 x 4): 1. Donate to a Barrie Charity 2. Order take out for pickup from a Barrie restaurant 3. Buy something from a Barrie shop/service 4. Reach out to someone in Barrie. Post the 4 things you did with the hashtag #Barrie4x4Challenge

Need some inspiration to get started? How about Christmas Cheer to donate to, Skewers for take out and one of the great local businesses from the Chamber of Commerce to buy from!

 

GET EDUMACATED

“Education is the passport to the future” said… someone much brighter than us. But you can put yourself on the path to recognizing or even saying profound quotes like that via the many adult education options in Barrie.

Georgian College has a number of evening and continuing education classes beginning in January, including online learning.

There’s also College Boreal, which provides full courses in French and Spanish as a second language.

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What did you think of our 5 Things To Do This Winter in Barrie? Did we miss anything cool? Let us know! We are always on the lookout for events in Barrie, virtual or otherwise, to add to our events calendar. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CREATING HEIRLOOMS AT BLISS JEWELLERY

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CREATING HEIRLOOMS AT BLISS JEWELLERY

Oh those jumbles of jewellery!  What a mess of broken chains and single earrings!  We were going to sell them for the gold content – but there are just so many memories.

Imagine our joy when we “Uncovered” Bliss Jewellery right here in Barrie at 32 Ross Street.  We’d like to take a moment to introduce Jennifer Wolfe, the owner.

Jenn has brought her love of metal-smithing to the public in Barrie.  After her studies at Georgian College, Jenn rented a bench at Metzger Studio downtown.  She can’t say enough about Mike and Bev’s love of the art as well as the community.  In fact, Jenn feels that the community here in Barrie is more collaborative than it’s ever been because of them!

COLLABORATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Collaboration and customer service make Jenn one of the best in the business.  Take her your “jumble” and she’ll sit with you to design a brand new future heirloom piece that incorporates your desires with her talent.  A perfect partnership!

Jenn also invites us to consider taking one of her workshops to create other pieces to love.  Classes are small and intimate, which works very well under COVID protocols.  The class sizes work even better for learning the creative process.

Have you wished that you could design your own wedding bands,  even make them?  In the New Year there will be classes for that.  Actually there are a number of workshops to choose from – right from beginners to advanced; everything from hammered rings to stone cutting.

COLLECTIONS

In the studio, for the Christmas Gift Season, there are one of a kind pieces for sale.  We were astonished at the variety of design and exquisiteness of each piece.  Jenn has created entire collections of incredible artistry.  The Saxon Collection touched our hearts.  This collection was inspired by the Staffordshire Hoard, discovered in 2009.  Ancient pieces brought to life through new eyes – astonishing!

Another collection that must be seen is the Fiji Pearl Collection.  Jenn has Canada’s only supply of these very unique and breathtaking pearls! 

Whatever your tastes are there is a piece for you.  Take a moment and visit her website, or give her a call at 416 697 8199.  Check out the workshops, the collections, and the collaborations.  Think about creating your new heirloom piece.  Here in Barrie, we’re so proud to uncover such talent! 

Shop Local – You’ll be glad you did!

Are you a Barrie based business looking to expand your digital footprint?  Let us know!  We can get you Uncovered!

The Weekend List: 3 Things To Do

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There’s something even more charming about a weekend in December. The holiday buzz is in the air. Most everyone is in a good mood. And the two days off from work and school lend themselves to festive activities like tree decorating and Xmas movies.

And this weekend is no exception, with plenty of Noel based fun to be had around town. If you have a holiday event or fundraiser coming up, let us know! We’re always on the lookout for cool local content.

The Weekend List: 3 Things To Do

Give Local Goods Holiday Market

We keep talking about buying local, and this Saturday you’ve got the perfect chance.

The Spare Room shared artist studio (12 Lakeshore mews) is hosting a Local Goods Holiday market at their cool space downtown. The market features goods from local artisans and their roster of in-house talent, including Prudence & Pine, Barrie Homemade, Wild Jewelry, Stamped Frosting, Oh Beehive!, Rainy Day Drawings and Sleuth Wear.

Expect warm and tasty treats from their neighbours Bohemia as well. A great opportunity to find some unique Barrie based gifts for this year’s list.

Running from 10-2pm!

Dirty Bingo @ Georgian College

Open to Georgain students from either campus, the GCSA is hosting a virtual Dirty Bingo event on Saturday night. Hosted by LadyVenom @ 7pm, there are chances to win of one of eight $20 www.pinkcherry.ca gift cards.

It should be noted that this event is for mature audiences only, and students must be 19 or older to join the event and win prizes. It all goes down on the GCSA Barrie Facebook page.

Take in the Holiday Lights Downtown

After you’ve done at the SpareRoom, why not take a stroll through Meridian place and the lakeshore? The annual festival of trees has sprung along the lakeshore, and the Noella festivities are in full swing through downtown. You can support Hospice Simcoe by picking up a wreath or a tree at the downtown tree lot, operating every Saturday until December 12th from 11am until 3pm.

And don’t forget that you can support all the local businesses downtown through the Lifeline E-Gift Card program, run by the Downtown BIA. CLICK HERE, select which downtown Barrie business (or businesses!) you’d like your gift cards for. 100% of the funds go to the businesses you choose to support.

What did you think of The Weekend List: 3 Things To Do? Let us know in the comments!

The Social Recap: The Week That Was in Barrie Nov. 16th

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All The Good (And Occasional) Bad of What Went Down in Barrie Last Week

There are three certainties in life…

Death.

Taxes.

Social media.

And if you are tweeting, posting and talking about Barrie on social media, we want to hear from you!

Every week we will do a quick recap of the week that was in Barrie based on your pics, posts and videos.

Whether it’s store openings, foodie reviews, feelgood stories, fun facts about Barrie, even bizarre bird formations over the marina, we want to share it.

The Week That Was in Barrie Nov. 16th

Look, nobody sane actually loves the months and months of cold weather…but it does make for some stunning imagery when the first snow fall lands.

And with the snow comes the holidays. And specifically, Holiday treats. Like these chocy delights from J’adore Fine Cheese, which rank 10 on the OMFG taste meter.

When you are heading out for holiday shopping, remember to keep it local as much as you can. And places like Stuff are great for keeping this year’s budget manageable!

Those early evening sunsets though…

Anybody out there want a drone for Xmas this year? Bet you will after seeing this footage!

And finally, although this year’s holidays will be a little less grandiose, Santa is coming to town a few times in select places. Bring the kids for some socially distant seasonal fun and support local!

What did you think of the The Week That Was in Barrie Nov. 16th? Let us know in the comments! And keep using the #barrieuncovered hashtag to get featured!

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