The ‘Heart Barrie’ landmark sign won’t be short on heart.
Councillors agreed Monday night to increase the size of the sign’s heart to 10 feet tall, instead of eight, with the letters remaining eight feet tall.
“The 10-foot heart, it allows people that are six feet five in height to actually be in the heart,” said Coun. Mike McCann, who is raising the $200,000 cost of the sign. “If we kept it at the eight feet, (that) only allows someone five-feet-four to sit in the heart.
“This is about an experience, it’s about having some fun, connecting to your city, being inspirational and I would hate to think that anyone who’s five-five and higher wouldn’t be able to have some fun in this heart," he added.
The sign will be located in Heritage Park, directly on the entry axis to the downtown waterfront park, as people come across Simcoe Street from Meridian Place.
Its approval was not unanimous with Barrie councillors, however, and two let it be known Monday.
“I haven’t been supportive of this throughout the process,” said Coun. Keenan Aylwin, who represents the downtown. “I’ve heard from my constituents that it’s not something they’d like to see in Heritage Park and I don’t think the funds associated with maintenance are worth the sign.”
Council added $15,000 to the city’s operations department budget, beginning this year, to cover costs of potential graffiti removal and winter maintenance on and around the sign.
Coun. Clare Riepma didn’t want a larger heart, period.
“I think this sign is already too big. I don’t think we need this sign to start with,” he said. “I think we need to stick with our original approval and let’s get on with it.”
The project’s working group members have agreed the sign should be the city’s logo with the heart. Also that the size of the heart should be increased from eight to 10 feet. By making the heart that height a person as tall as six feet can fit inside the heart for photos.
McCann said this project is intended to unite Barrie — to help businesses by driving residents and visitors to the downtown and have them celebrate the city by being photographed with the landmark sign.
The Ward 10 councillor agreed to fund-raise the project’s estimated $200,000 cost.
As of Oct. 12, 2021, the city has received $5,000 from one individual and $145,000 from a company called Heart Barrie. The individual was issued a charitable donation tax receipt, Heart Barrie has not requested a charitable tax receipt because it’s not eligible. McCann submitted an affidavit affirming the McCann family will provide the remainder of the funding for the project by March 31, 2022.
McCann has said he’s selling Barrie hats and Barrie T-shirts, to raise the last $50,000.
