Life on the Streets in Barrie, A Legend in Orillia, and 15 Years of Hope

Welcome back to What Barrie’s Talking About — the podcast that dives into the local stories shaping our community. This week, host Dan Blakeley and the Barrie 360 team are looking at homelessness in Barrie, celebrating the life and legacy of Gordon Lightfoot in Orillia, and marking 15 years of support from Gilda’s Club. Life Inside a Barrie Homeless Encampment Another homeless encampment in Barrie — this one on Bradford Street — was cleared out this week after eviction notices were issued. For some, that meant taking advantage of support services and temporary accommodations. For others, it meant moving on with no clear plan. Barrie 360’s Ian Maclennan spoke with 58-year-old Bill, who had been living in the encampment before returning to the Salvation Army. He shared what life inside was really like, shining a light on the human side of this ongoing crisis. Orillia Prepares to Honour Gordon Lightfoot Orillia is getting ready to pay tribute to one of its most iconic residents — Gordon Lightfoot. The city will celebrate Lightfoot Days at the end of October, with events and music to honour the legendary singer-songwriter. Organizers Brian Hare and John Winchester stopped by to share with us how the celebration is coming together, and what fans can expect when the festival kicks off. 15 Years of Gilda’s Club Barrie Gilda’s Club Barrie has been offering care, compassion, and community for people living with cancer — and their families — for 15 years. To mark the milestone, the organization is looking back on its journey while raising funds to continue providing these vital services. Board member Penny Darragh and Sharon Smith from Connect Hair Studio joined Barrie 360’s Ian Maclennan to talk about the Raw and Reflective calendar — an annual project that helps support Gilda’s important work. Catch the full conversations in this week’s episode of What Barrie’s Talking About. Subscribe on your favourite podcast app or listen at Barrie360.com. Don’t forget to rate, review, and share to help spread the word! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices