In what many at today's Global Climate Strike march called possibly the biggest such rally in the city’s history, more than 600 people took to the street to protest climate change.
The event started at Barrie City Hall at noon and when it seemed the hundreds had stopped piling in, the march began.
Led by members of the Indigenous community, protesters marched down Collier Street to Bayfield Street and continued down toward the Five Points where they turned left and headed east toward Meridian Place.
Mya Moore, a Grade 12 student at Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School in Angus, spoke at the event and told BarrieToday why she has dedicated her young life to fighting for the Earth.
“I am really worried about my future and my sister’s future,” Moore said. “I want a place to grow up and do all the things I have dreamed of doing, and at this rate that won’t happen.”
The event was in response to growing concerns of what many scientists are calling a worldwide climate emergency.
Many students from local schools walked out of class to be at the Barrie rally — and others like it around the region and the world — and held signs referencing 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, the Swedish girl who has become the face of the movement.
Thunberg caught the world’s attention with her powerful speech on Sept. 23 at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York City.
Lily O’Neill attended the Barrie rally with a sign that had a part of Thunberg’s speech on it. The 13-year-old told BarrieToday why she believed it was important to be at the march and how Thunberg has inspired her.
“I think it is really cool that someone had the courage to do that, a teenager had the courage to do that,” said O’Neill. “It is really great and inspiring to see teenagers speaking out and it makes me want to even more.”
Barrie resident Michael Speers spoke to BarrieToday about why it is important for kids to get educated and be loud on the issue of climate change.
“This affects kids more than it does anyone else,” Speers said. “We’re seeing the effects of climate change right now, but it is nothing compared to what the world will look like in 15 to 20 years.
"Kids need to tell adults that we don’t have time for little changes," he added. "We need bold and powerful changes.”
Brent Elsey, 66, spoke at the rally at Meridian Place to the hundreds of people who had gathered.
A retired family doctor who is part of an organization called DOCS (Doctors On Climate Solutions), Elsey admits he is late to climate-change awareness, but still wants to help.
“Like many others my age, I haven’t been as much of a help to the cause over my life, but I am dedicating everything to it now,” said a tearful Elsey. “I get emotional, but I have seven grandchildren and how would I be able to look them in the eyes in 20 years when they ask me, 'Where were you, papa?' ”
When asked what he thought of the hundreds of kids in the crowd at Meridian Place, Elsey wasted no time in his response.
“They’re the hope,” he said. “They are the hope.”
