One year ago, the Rotary Club of Barrie, in partnership with Canada Healthy Community Initiatives and the City of Barrie, established the COVID Heroes and Memorial Garden. This beautiful space was created to honour the bravery, resilience, and compassion shown by our community throughout the pandemic.
A New Addition to Inspire Reflection
Recently, the garden received a significant enhancement—a 47,000 lb boulder that now stands as a striking centerpiece and backdrop for visitors. This impressive feature further enriches the garden’s peaceful atmosphere and serves as a reminder of the strength we displayed during challenging times. Perfect for photos, the boulder invites visitors to engage with the memorial in a new way. Remember to snap a picture and tag our Instagram account when you visit!
A Community Effort of Gratitude
This project would not have been possible without the unwavering support of several key sponsors and contributors who dedicated their time, skills, and resources:
- Sunbelt Rentals, Midhurst Granite, and the City of Barrie played crucial roles in bringing this vision to life, each contributing significant resources and expertise.
- Landmark Environmental Group Ltd generously provided extensive time and labour, amounting to approximately $50,000 in value—at no cost to the project.
- The Rotary Club of Barrie took on project management and labour, giving priceless time and effort to see the project through.
Acknowledging Contributions Beyond Measure
The following contributors offered services that brought valuable savings of over $5,000 each, either through deep discounts or entirely free services:
- Carr Landscaping
- Midhurst Granite
- Sunbelt Rentals
- Spring Tree Farms
- Gerrits Engineering
Additional community supporters, who provided essential services valued at up to $4,000 each, include:
- Western Mechanical
- Rudy Mak Surveyors
- ISM Architects
- Ron Clark Inc.
Many others offered noteworthy support, with friends-and-family-type discounts:
- Nelson Aggregate
- Express Crane
- NNVK Nurseries
- Egos Nurseries
- The Irrigation Pro
- John Eek & Son
- Wyevale Concrete
- DW Tuck
- Green Geotechnical
- Maglin Benches
Honourable Mentions
We would also like to thank Alectra Utilities, Georgian College, and Huntsville Concrete for their contributions that helped make this initiative a reality.
Watch the Boulder Installation
Click here to see a behind-the-scenes look at the boulder’s installation, and check out the incredible drone footage captured by our fellow Rotarian, Darren Robinson. His video offers a unique perspective on this significant addition to the garden.
We are proud to see the COVID Heroes Garden continue to grow and serve as a place of reflection and remembrance for our community.
A Unified Tribute
This collective effort exemplifies our community’s ability to come together in moments of need and celebration. We extend our deepest gratitude to every individual and organization involved for their unwavering support and commitment.
Visit the COVID Heroes and Memorial Garden and take a moment to reflect on the strength, compassion, and unity that carried us through the pandemic.