There are invasive plant species along the NST and the city that are choking out native plants. Our native plants are important for pollination and healthy waterways as well as for creating natural habitat for many species of birds and insects. Phragmites, garlic mustard and dog straggling vine are just a few of the invasives we have that are challenging to eradicate. Cities all over the province are dealing with this problem. This problem will get harder to manage the longer it is neglected. Barrie needs solid policy and an action plan to eliminate this threat to our natural environment spaces across the city. We call upon city staff and City Council to make this a priority when budget planning.

The City has created a plan for how we might prepare for some climate change impacts, but has not yet made a comprehensive plan for how we can prevent catastrophic climate change to begin with! If global greenhouse gas emissions continue on the path that we're currently on, the amount of climate change we will experience in this century will be too much for many of us to adapt to. Therefore, adaptation alone is not enough--we must also work to reduce our emissions. Canadian municipalities have influence over up to fifty percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions. That means that each community has both a responsibility to act and a real opportunity to make a difference. Let's do our part to prevent this global crisis! All of our futures depend on it.

Barrie is a beautiful, creative and developing city. The City of Barrie is very family and community oriented. With beautiful scenery, this city is filled with artistic and creative potential. Opening an organization that will further develop the community through helping at risk youth and families by providing a creative platform, will not only have a positive impact on the community but also the future itself!

According to the Barrie Homeless Hub there was estimated 7500+ homeless people in Barrie in 2011. This number has not decreased much over the last 7 years . Youth Haven serves about 200 homeless youth a year, this to me is far too many.

Our organization provides at risk youth free music, fashion, art and dance classes. We also provide opportunities and professional development for youth in the arts. We provide a creative platform for youth who " don't have a chance" a chance. We believe every youth has creative potential, and that ALL youth should be given a chance to showcase this. We believe in helping others and installing inspiration and faith into the community. Currently Barrie is facing a problem (at risk/homeless youth) and I have a solution that not only will decrease the homeless rate, remove youth off the streets but will also provide job opportunities to the community and surrounding areas.

We are a family and school resource, a non-profit organization that has fundraising and charity organization potential, we are a tool for youth who struggle with mental health, behavioral problems or who may be involved in the Youth Criminal Justice Act. We are a safe-haven for families, an outlook for youth and resource for sole-parent families.

There are many run down, forclosed, or for lease spaces downtown that could be renovated into a modern and fresh art studio! Our vision is to have a studio fully equipped with music, fashion, art and dance supplies and equipment. Our mission is to become a professional, diverse organization that is new, refreshing, inspiring and resourceful that provides an outlook and tool for youth and families who may be struggling. We are that placr where the door is always open for anyone, where youth can be creative, innovative, real and unique while providing a safe space to be your creative self!

Vote for a Non-profit Art Centre for At risk youth to follow my dreams of changing the world and making a difference one creative youth at a time!

Eliminate buttons at traffic lights. Instead, have the 'walk' signal come on each time the light turns green. This would be much safer for pedestrians. So often I get to the light just before it turns green and press the button, but the 'walk' signal doesn't come on. I cross on the green light, but have had drivers yell at me that I should not be crossing. Also, the buttons are in inconvenient locations and I don't want to touch them as they are really dirty. Just have the 'walk' signal come on each time the light turns green. There are many pedestrians in Barrie, and this would improve safety.

We are regular users of the boat launch at Lakeshore and Innisfil.

There are no clear directions regarding:
-which side to put boat in
-which side to pull boat out
-how to line up vehicles waiting to launch or pull out
-what waiting boats should do (some tie up beside the launch and get their vehicle, others tie up in the launch, most line up in the water in their boats)
-who goes first if there is a line up to launch and a line up in the water to pull out

This is a major problem, causing "boat rage" (our term). There are often shouting matches when it gets busy.

At least once we witnessed a boater aggressively moving his boat to ram another while in the water, shouting racist remarks, while the other boat passengers were more than ready for a fist fight in return. They continued their fight into the parking lot and only stopped as one party outnumbered the other.

We are often asked about the procedure and advise what our understanding is, but just as often other people have a different understanding.

We at least twice decided not to launch last summer, as we were just tired of all the fighting. Our kids do get a little bit anxious over it, although we minimize it for them.

All of this could be easily fixed, by updating the two signs, which are right at the docks, with clear directions as to the procedure. In all cases, the cause of the fighting has been one party thinking they were doing it right, and the other party thinking they were wrong.

Also, related, more dockage is needed in that area.

You’re beautiful, Barrie!
And you’re getting better every year... our beloved little bedroom city is more cultured and diverse- more inclusive and comfortable- than ever! Nowhere is this more evident than in the growing Barrie Pride organization, and the LGBTQ2S+ community around which it is built.

We’ve come a long way! Thank you for growing alongside us, and for helping us develop a meaningful relationship to our city: with more important support and services; a better network of businesses; and a warm community of wonderful, compassionate people.

There is something you can do though. One small gesture that would make a huge impact on the social landscape here in Barrie, and would see us join the ranks of other progressive Canadian cities in this expression of equality, acceptance and unity…

And it is called the Rainbow Crosswalk.

Much like it sounds, crosswalks at popular intersections are replaced with rainbow walkways painted on the street surface. Not only does the rainbow represent the LGBTQ2S+ movement, but it adds a colourful and vibrant touch to the usual city streets.

Rainbow crosswalks can be found in Ottawa and Toronto- here in Ontario- as well as in Montreal, Halifax, Edmonton and Vancouver. Even some communities smaller than Barrie have followed suit, including: Woodstock, New Brunswick; Lethbridge, Alberta; and in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. They can be found all over the world, in fact.

So please join us in proposing to our mayor, Jeff Lehman, and the Barrie City Council that: we, the people of Barrie and proud supporters of the LGBTQ2S+ community, respectfully and enthusiastically request the installation of painted Rainbow Crosswalks at a few of the most prominent Downtown intersections: at the historic Five Points, of course; also at Bayfield and Simcoe, and at the pedestrian crosswalk in front of Heritage Park.

At an estimated cost of less than three one-hundreths of one percent of this year’s projected infrastructure spending for the city of Barrie- roughly a tenth of the price paid for the “Spirit Catcher” sculpture back in 1986- we hope you agree that the Rainbow Crosswalks, and the show of support for a strong demographic and an increasingly popular city event, is not asking too much. It truly is the thought, in this case, which counts more than the price tag.

Sincerely,
The Barrie Pride Family