Barrie’s Town Crier Steve Travers knows where to find the city’s secrets, saints and sinners.
And he’s ready to share them with you Sunday, as he leads two tours as part of Barrie’s Culture Days.
In a walk through Barrie Union Cemetery at 11 a.m., he tells us about the dashes – the events between the birth and the death dates – of some of the characters who rest in peace there.
“I see each of those gravestones as the front of a book. It’s up to me to research who they were and what they did. We have some amazing people in there,” said Travers, who loves history so much, he spends his non-working time researching and inspiring others to step back in time, as well as offering a historic take on news events and business openings.
“In the cemetery, I’m very respectful of people in there. There are very rich and very influential people in there and some have families still living (in Barrie).”
The tour includes a well-rounded roster of individuals who were born, lived or passed away in Barrie, a roster that will appeal to sports fans or political aficionados.
Hockey player Hap Emms, for example, was had an impact not only on his sport professionally as he played for the Montreal Maroons, the New York Americans, the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings, but locally. He owned and coached the Barrie Flyers, which went on to win the Memorial Cup in 1951.
Also in Barrie Union is the sister of former Prime Minister Mackenzie King – Janet King-Lay.
“She was in love with a guy and would have probably married him, but he dived in to save a young woman who had fallen through the ice,” Travers recalled of the socialite who married a well-off widower.
The tour meets inside the cemetery, near the offices.
At 2 p.m., Travers explores downtown, as he begins at Memorial Square.
“It’s the rogues, scoundrels, heroes and harlots tour,” Travers said of the tour officially named Heroes, Harlots, Saints & Sinners. “People are what history is about. Some (participants) like the buildings and the architecture, but more would rather know who lived there and what they did.”
One of the stops is St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, which has lost its saltire cross and some of its architectural details.
But what caught Travers’ attention was the stained-glass windows.
“In the 1800s, stained glass would have been made in Europe. We didn’t have the craftsmen here. You brought it on a shop and you packed it in molasses. When the ship tips (in a 10-force gale), the molasses moves really slowly so it protects the windows,” he said, asking what would a church do with the leftover molasses?
They’d let the craftsmen have it, he said, and those creative characters would make it into something quite drinkable and tasty.
But Sunday, all Travers will have to sample are the stories of the people and the places.
“It’s my gift to the city,” said Travers. “I love serving my city. The city gave my family a wonderful home in 1991, when we came from England. I’ve endeavoured ever since to become a good Canadian.”
Pre-registration to join the free tours is strongly advised; email [email protected].
On Friday, Sept. 30:
12:15 p.m.: MacLaren Art Centre: Art for Lunch talk with Henri Robideau
1:15 p.m.: MacLaren Art Centre: exhibition tour
7 p.m.: Uptown Theater: “Don’t blink: Robert Frank”, $10.
On Saturday, Oct. 1:
9 a.m.: Barrie Farmers’ Market: bookmark art activity, by the MacLaren Art Centre
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Aboard Barrie Transit buses: Riding Along… Singing a Song
10:30 a.m.: Barrie Public Library: Road Trip Canadian Adventures story time.
11 a.m.: MacLaren Art Cetnre, free tour
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Heritage Park: The Great Canadian Mural Mosaic
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.: City Hall courtyard, Heritage Park and Memorial Square: Barrie’s Busking Out
1 p.m.: MacLaren Art Centre: Word Up author readings
2 p.m.: Barrie Public Library: Official launch of the sculpture Four Dividers Made into a Juncture (a bike rack)
3 p.m.: MacLaren Art Centre open house
Also on Sunday, Oct. 2
12:30 p.m.: MacLaren Art Centre: Big Drive short animation feature
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Georgian Mall: Conduct Us! With the Huronia Symphony
1:30 p.m.: MacLaren Art Centre: family workshop, travel journals, $5 cost
2:30 p.m.: MacLaren Art Centre: Simcoe Contemporary Dancers
