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City proposing pedestrian bridge named in honour of Osmond ‘Ossie’ Rowe

Osmond (Ossie) Rowe has played an integral role in creating Barrie as it is today
barrie_city_hall2
Barrie City Hall is pictured in this file photo

NEWS RELEASE

CITY OF BARRIE

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The City would like public feedback on the proposed naming of a pedestrian bridge in Centennial Park, in honour of Osmond (Ossie) Rowe.

Osmond (Ossie) Rowe has played an integral role in creating Barrie as it is today.

A veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy and lifetime member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, Mr. Rowe was the City Solicitor for Barrie for nearly 50 years.

He was a volunteer member of Barrie’s waterfront committee in the 1950’s and was instrumental in the decision to create Centennial Park and to establish the City of Barrie Marina.

As a Heraldry Society of Canada member, he collaborated in designing Barrie’s Coat of Arms. He was also instrumental in persuading the Ontario Government to transform Barrie from a Town to a City in 1959.

Mr. Rowe was appointed Queen’s Counsel and was the first recipient of the Professional Excellence Award of the Simcoe County Legal and Medical Association, and a recipient of the City of Barrie Sesquicentennial Award.

Mr. Rowe supported the city as a volunteer with numerous organizations including the Barrie Community Concert Association, Barrie Harbour Committee, Barrie Lion’s Club, Barrie Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee, Centennial Park Committee, Children’s Aid Society, Collier Street United Church, Kempenfelt Bay Development Committee, Navy League of Canada, and Simcoe County Legal Aid Committee.

The Municipal Naming Working Group met on June 3, 2016 and is recommending that public consultation be undertaken with respect to naming a Centennial Park pedestrian bridge in honour of Osmond 'Ossie' Rowe.

To provide your feedback, please:

  • complete the Centennial Park Bridge Naming survey (less than two minutes) via barrie.ca/Parks 
  • email feedback to [email protected]
  • contact (705) 739-4204 (Legislative and Court Services Department)
  • complete a written survey form at the Legislative and Court Services Department, 70 Collier Street, Barrie

The deadline for comments is Saturday, July 30, 2016.

A staff report will be presented to General Committee in the Fall of 2016 with the results of the public consultation and recommendation(s) for consideration.

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